While rumors about the possible names of the next Head of State appear, a page of a book on P2 appears that brings the past to the present (or today to the past). Sandra Bonsanti in his political memo on the Loggia of Venerable Licio da Arezzo (Guilty, Chiarelettere) recalls in a chapter called ‘Gelli, presidential republic’, an episode that speaks to us of our days.
We are in 1987, during one of the many political crises after the resignation of the Craxi government. Andreotti is also on track, on 22 March he writes on his Newspaper: “I don’t think it’s a way out Amato’s proposal [l’appoggio del PSI a un suo governo, nda] in view of my commitment to support the direct election of the President of the Republic, such an important constitutional reform must be part of an organic system of reorganization and cannot be reduced to a personal problem “.
Let’s translate: the socialists had sent Giuliano Amato, the oldest supporter of presidentialism, to deal with: we support your government in exchange for the reform. But Andreotti is an old fox and does not let himself be enchanted. In July, Sandra recalls, a Goria government was born and old Giulio, who said no for his own sake rather than for that of the democratic republic, returned to Foreign Affairs. The coup impulses were still vibrating in the air and it would have been little opportune for him to rekindle the hopes of the authoritarian sectors of the country, which he knew well, and always very vigilant.
Craxi’s socialists had a boundless love for presidentialism, perhaps the inspiration was Atlantic, they had to be accredited in those environments, and in ’79 on The Avanti they had formally submitted the proposal. Giuliano Amato, who today not a few would like on the high Colle was then the major sponsor of the pseudo reform that had been in the heart of Gelli and of the piduists more than anything else.
True, we were saved back then by a particular combination of circumstances. The left and part of the DC set their feet against the direct election of the head of state: it would take away from the system the man (or woman, as Conte would say) super partes, then it would only remain the strong man. The massacre, also done to tear away our Constitutional Charter, had opened wounds that were still bleeding, we could not go to meet him like this, as if it had not been, while the victims were still mourning (and the wave of the mold was yet to arrive. mafia).
In short, we were saved but then the presidential thrusts were caressed by many. Isn’t it time you want to go back from there? That noisy candidacy of Goffredo Bettini of a constitutional judge who comes from that history, who was Craxi’s powerful direct and faithful voice, and sponsor of that reform of the reforms, wants to bring today to yesterday? (or yesterday to today?). No thank you. And let’s be careful.