MP Sigfrido is expected at the Avs party: Ranucci is a guest in Testaccio

If not quite a ‘foreign pope’ of the broad coalition, then at least a Member of Parliament on the AVS closed list. Here, then, is a better fate for Sigfrido Ranucci, the once-celebrated civil hero, than the prospect of a dreary room at the RAI. And what if Lavitola’s obsession were, in fact, the perversion of the ‘broad coalition’? That would explain Sigfrido Ranucci’s presence, on Wednesday 9 September, at the Green Alliance and Left party rally. It would make sense of the man of the moment amidst the panels on the primaries, the Albanese-style pipe dreams (Francesca), or perhaps Rome’s mayor Gualtieri paired with Jeremy Corbyn.

Fratoianni and Bonelli have, in fact, invited him too to the third edition of “Terra!” – their festival. The man of the moment. Ranucci, who “is coming here but only to present his book”, clarifies Angelo Bonelli, even though some within the red-and-green federation are beginning to insinuate otherwise. “I don’t know if Avs will put him forward as a candidate, but I hope they will sooner or later,” admits Mimmo Lucano, for example. He then adds: “I should be at the festival too, and I’ll be very happy to give my friend Sigfrido a hug.” Are you friends? “Yes. I feel that way. He’s always understood my situation straight away, and the legal persecution I’ve faced simply for having said, alongside the Bishop of Locri, that immigration is not an invasion but a welcome.” Honourable Sigfrido.

The date is therefore 9 September. That is to say, the highlight of a packed week in Testaccio, where, amongst others, all the leading figures in this complex but broad field will be present. Starting with local resident Elly, who lives just a stone’s throw from the Città dell’Altra Economia.

Mr Ranucci, then, came about in this way: like a marvellous thought, creeping amongst the MEPs from the Alliance of Greens and the Left who were chosen not on the strength of their meagre CVs but on the strength of their charisma.

“It would be an honour for me to fight alongside a man like him,” Lucano tells us once again; his joining AVS followed the lead of Soumahoro, so to speak, and then of Salis, Cucchi and other capable men – or sometimes women. “Ranucci would be an asset to us. He is a threat to figures like La Russa and all the others linked to corrupt systems.” What about all the others who say his investigations are biased? “And how could they not be, if you’ll excuse me? Who could possibly be on the side of the corrupt? On the side of the power structures, high finance, the bourgeoisie, La Russa? Ranucci has always fought against all this, just like me.”

“Terra!”, in Testaccio, has a great programme nonetheless. An exhibition on Palestine and eco-vintage markets provide the backdrop to Cathy La Torre’s monologue, the “Tax the rich” debate with the mayor and Jeremy Corbyn, and the show “Mammadimerda Live”. And then there’s the “Ideas First” debate featuring the four leaders: Bonelli, Fratoianni, Conte and Schlein. Déjà vu? Matteo Renzi is missing, yet again. Just like that evening at dinner in Campo de’ Fiori… But the revolution will take place whilst we’re eating – or being ‘lavitolated’ – and so here comes Ranucci. Honourable Sigfrido? “If only,” says Lucano. A real bombshell.