The Berlusconi family was not there, nor his last partner Marta Fascina. But for the thirtieth anniversary of Forza Italia, for the “operation nostalgia” party celebrated at the Salone delle Fontane all’Eur, in Rome, complete with a re-enactment of Berlusconi’s “Italy is the country I love”, there is a debut state anyway. That of Gianni Letta, Silvio Berlusconi’s most trusted advisor, on stage for the first time for a party event. An unusual guise for those who, like the former undersecretary to the Prime Minister, right-hand man of the leader who passed away on 12 June, have always loved staying behind the scenes. Shadow man and director, without ever taking the card: “Allow me, dear president, to break the silence for once and say a word: thank you.” To then bring the “greetings” of Berlusconi’s children, “the testimony of their convinced participation and support in the name of continuity, as their father wanted”.
An attempt to calm shadows and controversies due to the noisy absence of Marina and Pier Silvio, as well as other representatives of the family, beyond the guarantee given on the economic commitment that will not fail towards the blue party. “This support must obviously be accompanied by FI’s commitment to continue along the path, already undertaken, of strengthening its financial endowment”, however, the children had warned, in the face of strong cash difficulties, 90 million in debts weighing on the party, above all due to the dues not paid by too many elected officials. “A lash? But no, this is a commitment that we have made and that we are carrying forward. Is the family absent anyway? If the children had been there you would have talked about the owners of the party-company, but they still sent a clear signal of attention”, Antonio Tajani, the “ferryman” who dressed as a leader at the anniversary party, tried to ward off the controversy. Already the next secretary, the only candidate for the Italian Congress scheduled for 23 and 24 February. “Should I apply for the European elections? We will see, we will also decide with the allies”, he takes his time. While he continues to evoke the 10% dream, in view of the European electoral test. A chimera, actually. At least for now, with the poll bar still stuck at 7%.
“Do we need Berlusconi’s latest miracle? No, we are alive, in defiance of jinxes and jinxes who have wanted us dead for years and who had said that we would not survive”, replies Tajani. On the day he is ‘crowned’ leader by Gianni Letta, who recalls Berlusconi’s thoughts from San Raffaele: “In the many years that I have had Tajani at my side he has never made a mistake in an intervention or a statement”. An endorsement which, however, does not stop the internal divisions, beyond the vaunted unity, with Tajani’s unique self-nomination for the secretariat. So, not everyone seems to really believe the 10%: “I answer you like Berlusconi; aim for 10, to reach 8”, admits Licia Ronzulli, vice president of the Senate and protagonist of the internal minority. She admits: “After June 12th and Berlusconi’s death, I also wondered what would become of Forza Italia, but we are slowly starting to walk on our own two feet.” For now, everyone appears united, but there are already those within the party who are ready to ask for Tajani to step back in the event of defeat in the European elections. “Are we going to question it after the vote? I believe that Forza Italia will do well”, Ronzulli cuts short for now. The secretary, however, takes advantage of Letta’s endorsement and relaunches: “It is not a nostalgic demonstration, we are a political force that is proud of its 30 years, but determined to move towards tomorrow”.