The progressive press was quick to launch the news about Italy’s alleged defeat in Europe, about the isolation of our nation in international fora. Fratelli d’Italia’s vote against the Ursula majority had been, according to a certain narrative ridden then also by the political left, the reason for the definitive break with Brussels. So much so that the usual newspapers had offered headlines that now seem to have aged badly: ‘Meloni more isolated in Europe’ wrote La Stampa, while Repubblica reported the reactions of the various parties. The Pd accused Meloni of having ‘isolated Italy’, the Five Star Movement spoke of ‘euroflop and defeat’. For +Europa, Fratelli d’Italia had ‘dug a chasm’, while Italia Viva considered that Italy had come out ‘in pieces’. The Post wrote that ‘in Europe Giorgia Meloni has chosen to isolate herself’ and many other newspapers followed this narrative. With the now official appointment of Raffaele Fitto as executive vice-president in charge of Cohesion and Reforms, the only one to come out with broken bones is the left.
Competence and seriousness
The new commissioner appointed by Italy has in fact been given a weighty role within the European Commission, just as, beyond the left-wing humbug, was expected: Italy has been recognised as having a prominent position within the European Union, so much so that, during the presentation press conference, Ursula von der Leyen explained that Fitto “will bring his great experience to modernise and strengthen investments for cohesion and growth policies”. Fitto’s work, together with the government team, in the management of European funds, in the implementation of cohesion policies and in the management of the NRP certainly had a not insignificant weight in the choice of the president. From many quarters in recent months there has been appreciation for the results achieved, for the modernisation of the South, for the remodulation of the Pnrr, for the new, more efficient system of agreements with the various regions for the Development and Cohesion funds. Just today came the signing of the agreement between the Campania Region and the government, one of the last missing pieces. In short, in recent months Fitto has demonstrated a competence that has pleased Brussels. Add to this the excellent response of the executive in community policies, in the role played by Italy in recent months as an international mediator and as a harbinger of good proposals followed by the Union and its member states, one of which is the model against human trafficking.
Denial of headlines
In this way, the Meloni government was able to assert its position, its role within the EU bodies. Thus sending the Left into a tailspin, ready to talk about Italian isolation, but to no avail. On the other hand, Giorgia Meloni, after the contrary vote of Fratelli d’Italia in the European Parliament, had been very clear: the contrary vote would not have compromised the collaboration between the Italian government and the European Commission, specifying that she had no reason ‘to believe that our choice could in any way compromise the role that will be recognised for Italy in the European Commission’. Prophetic words, these yes: because a few weeks later, that role has been largely reconfirmed. And just as it did before, devaluing the Italian role by talking of ‘isolation’, the same progressive press already seems to be moving towards devaluing the role obtained by Fitto. But there may be few objections: vice-presidency with responsibility for Cohesion and Reforms means dealing with key issues for Europe, namely cohesion policies and the NRP. The headlines launched by the newspapers, the troubles announced by the progressive prefects, will remain on record only as a demonstration of how far the Left is light years away from the reality of the facts.
