“I want to apologize to all the friends who they believe in reformism and the Third Pole for this week’s indecorous show. I did everything to avoid reaching this epilogue. I believed it but I couldn’t. I think whoever was responsible for this failure should apologize. And I do it – for my part – with the knowledge that I tried everything to the last to avoid the disaster“. As Matthew Renzi, leader of Italia Viva e from next May 3 editorial director of the Riformistaafter the hard week of clashes, he explains via social media the break with Action and the farewell to the single party of the Third Pole and has his say on the break.
“In these hours Carlo Calenda is continuing to attack me on a personal leveland, with the same criticisms that the executioners have been using for months – explains the former prime minister – Sono posts and tweets typical of grillini, not liberal democrats. However I do not reply. If I am a monster today, I was also a monster six months ago when the Italia Viva symbol was needed to present the listsAnd. If I am a monster today, I was also a monster when I supported Calenda as leader of the Third Pole, as mayor of Rome, as a member of the European Parliament. Or even when I appointed him deputy minister, ambassador, minister. About my being considered a monster, I wrote a book. The things I wrote are so true that after a year I haven’t received a single libel suit.”
He replies to the attacks point by point, emphasizing that he has no intention of giving up on the Italia Viva project. “On the guarantee of those who compare a guarantee notice to a conviction, I have nothing to add – writes Renzi on Facebook – On the political art of those who destroy a common project out of anger, I have nothing to add. On the seriousness of those who attack people in order not to discuss ideas, I have nothing to add. They didn’t stop me when I had all of Italy against me because I wanted Draghi instead of Conte. Then I remember well those who said that opening the crisis was an irresponsible act and Draghi would never arrive. Nevertheless, by sending Conte home and bringing Draghi, against everyone, we saved Italy. Imagine if they will stop us today! I’m a marathon runner, not a sprinter. I know how to get to the finish line. The bottom-up democratic congress of Italia Viva will start in the next few days. What we wanted to do together with Action, in a civil and free way, we will do with whoever is willing. First the municipalities, then the provinces, then the regions. There will be no parachuted or imposed from above. The members will choose, not Renzi “. On Leopolda Renzi explains that it will take place on 8-9-10 March 2024, “trying to bring many beautiful experiences to discuss, to share dreams, to think about politics”. “Thinking of banning the Leopolda is incredible: it means not having understood how much enthusiasm and how much beauty there is in a people who reject populism”. explains the former prime minister.
“At Europeans we will try to stay with those who want to believe in reformism and not in Meloni’s sovereignty or in the maximalism of Schlein – continues Renzi – Our home is Renew Europe, our leader Emmanuel Macron. After the European elections, with the primaries and the direct vote of the members, we will elect the leader who will guide us towards the Policies. We will try to expand to those who are there, without locking ourselves up in our own home. We will open up to the worlds of democratic, liberal, reformist Catholicism. We will do it by opening the windows wide, not closing ourselves in on the personalities or ambitions of self-proclaimed leaders”.
And conclude: “As for me. Personal attacks don’t hurt me. I have a tough crust now. I took all possible steps backwards. I’m so sorry for those who don’t know how beautiful politics is done differently than this. You deserve Politics with a capital P, not this week of twitter madness. Politics as an exchange of ideas, as human respect, as a comparison between projects, as the ability to get involved. Politics as a dream. I am a lucky man. I’m 48 years old, I’ve lived through the ranks and stuck up posters, I’ve taken votes at all institutional levels leading complicated administrative structures, I’ve been elected in the province, in the municipality, at the parliamentary level, in the primaries with millions of votes. I obtained the best result in Italian political history of the last half century with the famous 41%, I was President of the Council of Ministers, I was elected mayor of the city where I was born and raised. I have nothing to ask for, just something to give to give back what I’ve had. And what I want to do to you today is a special wish. I do it especially to young people. Never lower politics to a personal confrontationto a personal assault, to a personal struggle. Politics is a dream, not mud. When someone flies low, you aim high Michelle Obama once told us. Let’s do it in these hours. We do not respond to justicialist attacks. Let’s get our smiles back.”