Berlusconi arrived in Rome in the afternoon to play the game on the Quirinale. He received the blue coordinator Tajani, in the evening he will see the group leaders. He repeats to everyone that he has the numbers to be elected, that he does not want to back down. For now, the center-right is still taking time, the summit initially scheduled for Friday should be postponed to next week, certainly after the leadership of the Democratic Party has been postponed to Saturday. And at Villa Grande the decisive evaluation will be made on the next steps to be taken.
The former prime minister intends to dissolve the reserve. “It has never been so decisive,” explains one of Arcore’s close circle. In recent days, according to blue parliamentary sources, some loyalists such as Gianni Letta and Fedele Confalonieri would not have hidden their fears from the former prime minister but the Knight would have reiterated their intention to move forward. And to have concrete possibilities of being able to do it. In the belief that Draghi cannot pursue personal ambitions but must serve the interests of the country. Salvini recognizes him the merit of having created “the center-right and – he underlines – out of gratitude and political esteem, as well as for personal affection of course, he has all the title and merit of proposing himself”. At the same time he invites him to take a step forward, to show the cards (“we have to wait for him to say what he wants to do, dissolve his reservations”). He then reiterates that he prefers Draghi to remain at Palazzo Chigi and does not rule out a possible reshuffle at all. On the contrary. Guest of Porta a Porta explains in fact: «Once the parties have elected the President of the Republic they will have to reflect on the fact that it is not worth putting the trump cards. Everyone, from the first to the last ». Without excluding that the reasoning concerns himself: «We’ll talk about it later», but «I don’t use to withdraw from my responsibilities» “, says Salvini.
For some time now, Fratelli d’Italia has also been asking for a preventive agreement on a “plan B”. Because to put it in the words of a “big” of the party in via Bellerio “if Berlusconi does not have the numbers he must give the green light to an area candidacy, he will not be able to oppose”. Hypothesis that the former prime minister does not consider. Neither at this stage nor further on, underlines a force fighter. Hence the fears among the “former lumbard” and in Fdi about the risk that the center-right will split on the Quirinale or remain with the match in hand. “If he does not have the numbers – also underlines a member of Fdi – he will go to another figure and no divisions should be foreseen”.
At the moment Salvini is still working on a hypothesis of a center-right candidate. If Berlusconi were not in the field, the names for now are those of Casellati (“he would free the presidency of the Senate from the Democratic Party,” says a dem senator), Moratti and Pera. But the centrists by no means exclude the Draghi “trail”, even if they remain cautious. Salvini saw the premier today for a brief greeting at Palazzo Madama, the two promised to meet soon, to talk about dear energy above all. But in confidence Salvini will also address the Quirinal dossier.
The belief in the center-right is that Draghi remains on the field. “My concern is that if you take away the most important piece of this government, I don’t know how we would get out of it. Everything is needed except confusion in Italy at this moment ”, the opinion of the former Minister of the Interior who is holding back, even if it does not seem to block his way. “Draghi should do the courtesy of clarifying whether he is a candidate or not and if he were interested he would do well to say so”, the thought of the president of Fdi, Meloni.
The former ECB number one will not make any move in the direction of the Quirinale. Not even the “pro Draghi al Colle” front has any intention of moving at the moment. The game therefore remains on standby, with the Knight continuing to call – center-right parliamentary sources report – especially pentastellati and members of the mixed group.
He gives everyone an appointment for the fourth vote, explaining that he would not go to vote with him at the Colle. After all, the option of early voting, raised by the former Prime Minister in recent days – if Draghi was destined for the Colle – is also considered a weapon that many FI parliamentarians have used. “If Berlusconi talks about the polls, he also loses the vote of many of us,” says a member of the force. In the next few days the numbers will tighten on the map and the sums will be drawn in the center-right.
The former prime minister wants to play all the cards. Even if there is also the risk – says a “big” of FI – that between Draghi and Berlusconi the “Mattarella bis” may appear again. An unwelcome option to Lega, Fdi and FI, but which with the spread of infections is not excluded even in the blue party. “I would not force President Mattarella to do what he has repeatedly reiterated that he does not want to do,” Salvini’s emphasis.