Cracks in Forza Italia in the south. There are fears of ‘retaliation’ from women against Tajani.

If there were any weeks when it was more ill-timed than others to make a gaffe about women, these were certainly them. Namely, the weeks leading up to the vote in the Chamber of Deputies on the new electoral law. Last time, at Montecitorio, we know how it went: the proposals were scuppered, partly due to the votes against by many female MPs from Forza Italia. That is why the majority have become concerned again following Antonio Tajani’s remarks about ‘reliable women’ and skirts of varying lengths. The Deputy Prime Minister apologised, saying, “I didn’t mean to offend anyone”, but in a political game where it takes very little to reignite discontent, it is clear that those words did not go down well. This applies to the female members of the ‘Azzurri’ and their allies, in particular Giorgia Meloni, who just yesterday reiterated on television: “If we do not secure a vote of confidence, we will face the consequences.”

How will it end? It is too early to say. It is certainly not the only headache for the leader of Forza Italia, who yesterday had to ‘swallow’ the defection of a former Forza Italia member, the Sicilian MP Tommaso Calderone, to the ranks of the Vannacci supporters. This is the second “poaching” after Domenico Giannetta, former FI group leader in the Calabrian Regional Council, who defected to Futuro Nazionale and is standing for a seat in the by-election in Reggio Calabria, where voting takes place on 27 and 28 September. There is no shortage of turmoil, particularly in Sicily, across the Strait. In Messina, Calderone was one of those “preference champions” capable of shifting large blocks of votes (in the 2017 regional elections he secured over 13,000). He was very close to Gianfranco Miccichè. It is no coincidence, then, that in the last few hours Miccichè has issued a statement saying that “Tommaso is one of the most capable and well-prepared MPs I have ever known. With his arrival, Vannacci stands to gain a great deal. Forza Italia, on the other hand, stands to lose a great deal.’ The former minister and undersecretary left the party a couple of years ago, but it is clear that his departure did not go down well with the leadership. Especially as Sicily is one of the most problematic areas for FI. The party is undecided as to whether to re-nominate the outgoing president and deputy secretary Renato Schifani, about whom, however, the allies harbour many doubts. They would prefer at this stage (especially Meloni) a figure such as the Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Giorgio Mulè. Speaking to Il Foglio, Mulè had said he was available but that “enough time has been wasted”. However, Tajani continues to reject this scenario, as he regards Mulè as an internal opponent belonging to the category of ‘deserters’ who prefer to speak to the press. In Campania, meanwhile, following the victory at the party congress of Fulvio Martusciello, the outgoing regional coordinator, MPs Patriarca, De Rosa and Bicchielli have appealed to the disciplinary committee over possible irregularities in the conduct of the meeting, and the dispute risks dragging on – as some had predicted – in court. In Basilicata, the new regional secretary and Regional President Vito Bardi has hinted at the possibility of standing for Parliament. Should this happen, early elections would be called, with the risk of losing one of the regional governments led by Forza Italia.

It must be strange for Tajani to look at the process set in motion by Salvini and the Lega, whilst the other Deputy Prime Minister was able, in the blink of an eye, to convene a party congress that will cement his position. That is what the Foreign Minister would have liked to do too, had those in Cologno Monzese not made it clear to him that local party congresses take precedence. But as for what comes next, we will have to wait for the outcome of the general election. There is a risk that, by then, the leadership may well become a real contest.