Meloni’s relief. With Roscioli, the ‘Marina B’ line triumphs. The Prime Minister rejoices at the FN’s failure. Donzelli: “The Stabilicum bill will pass”

Everyone on the right is celebrating. Everyone, except Vannacci. In Reggio Calabria, Forza Italia retains its seat and sends Fabio Roscioli, the Berlusconis’ lawyer, to Parliament. “A result that once again rewards a united, well-established coalition capable of connecting with local communities. We have defeated the broad coalition,” claims Prime Minister Meloni. Those with the most at stake were Francesco Cannizzaro, the city’s mayor, and Roberto Occhiuto, president of Calabria and one of the leaders of the “internal minority” (to put it simply, come on) whom Tajani and his allies were already poised to blame for a debacle. Roscioli, with a strong 51 per cent, consolidates the role he will play in drawing up the candidate lists (as treasurer). It was the first test for Vannacci, but Domenico Giannetta managed only 10.9 per cent, whilst Frank Benedetto (centre-left) secured 36.5 per cent. Can we do without the National Front and perhaps even the new electoral law? “But the Stabilicum must be passed, and it will be. The alternative is not viable,” insists Giovanni Donzelli.

Shortly after the polls closed in the Reggio Calabria-Locri constituency, unverified exit polls began to circulate. So much so that a member of Forza Italia began to worry: “Vannacci’s on over 20 per cent? That can’t be right.” The suspense, however, was short-lived, lasting only long enough to realise that in Reggio city itself, the former Forza Italia member Giannetta was not making a breakthrough. The candidate of the broad coalition (which included Renzi’s Casa Riformista), Frank Benedetto—the candidate with Giorgio Moroder-style videos—stopped at 36.5 per cent. The first to claim victory, gathered in a small room at Roscioli’s election committee headquarters, were Cannizzaro, Occhiuto, his brother Mario, Stefania Craxi and Claudio Lotito, owner of Reggina (and indeed, they were celebrating as if they were at the Granillo stadium) and rumoured to be in the running for a parliamentary seat in this region. “Did Vannacci want his own Saxony? In Reggio Calabria, he got pelted with stones at the polls,” taunts the Calabrian president. Roscioli himself, who during the election campaign had admitted to having been “parachuted in from Rome”, speaks of a “result beyond expectations”. Tajani, too, claims credit, thanking Occhiuto and Cannizzaro, for a Forza Italia that “wins by a landslide. ‘We are, and have once again confirmed ourselves – even in these elections – as a pillar of that centre-right that Berlusconi created, founded and led to success’.” Minister Paolo Zangrillo also speaks of a victory for Forza Italia’s values, but adds that “a strong message comes from Reggio Calabria: Forza Italia is here, and looks to the future with even greater determination”. It is well known that there is no better cement than victory. For at least one afternoon, therefore, the atmosphere of suspicion and accusations that has gripped the ‘Azzurri’ in recent weeks is set aside. What is certain is that Roscioli’s success brings a staunch loyalist of the ‘Family’ – and above all of Marina B. – into Parliament. A success that the Cavaliere’s children will celebrate today at Villa Certosa to mark the 90th birthday their father would have celebrated, before the property was sold off for good (whilst Tajani will commemorate him at an event in Brussels). And Vannacci? He ran a campaign that was expected to tip the balance but ultimately did not, even though the local representative, MP Domenico Furgiuele, says that “the target set by the General was 8 per cent. We’re actually above that’.” The final figure is 10.9 per cent. Lorenzo Pregliasco, founder of YouTrend, describes it as a “less-than-thrilling result”, which is, moreover, “due more to the candidate’s strong local roots than to any expansive capacity on Vannacci’s part”. In the barrage of statements from the majority, the refrain becomes: “We can do without the general”. Giovanni Donzelli, head of organisation for Fratelli d’Italia, strolling through the Transatlantico, puts it in these terms: “What does the vote in Reggio tell us? That the governing majority stands at over 50 per cent and that the very broad opposition bloc hovers just above 35 per cent”. If the by-election test has been passed and the ‘Vannacci effect’ has not materialised, would you be happy to go to the polls even under the Rosatellum, with single-member constituencies? In short, if the new electoral law ends up being shot down, would it be such a tragedy to go to the polls? “But the Stabilicum must be passed, and it will be passed. Any alternative scenario is not credible,” the Meloni supporter clarifies to Il Foglio.

This was also discussed in the background yesterday by the coalition leaders, who had been convened by Giorgia Meloni to discuss the budget, further measures on fuel (sources at Palazzo Chigi suggest that Q8 may follow Eni and Socar in introducing price caps) and candidate nominations in various cities, particularly in Milan, where each party has put forward a different candidate. Despite reassurances regarding the by-elections, the Prime Minister’s mandate is therefore to close ranks, summon all members of the government and MPs so that absences in the Chamber on 8 October (the date on which the final vote by secret ballot is scheduled) are kept to an absolute minimum. This is also because those in Via della Scrofa are convinced that it is not a constituency like Reggio Calabria – where the right has consistently won in recent elections – that could tempt them into calling an immediate election.