Plastic photo in the Senate, late in the evening. The attitude, usually bold, of the first (the former prime minister). And the more sedate one of the second (the former minister), whose screams however made the walls shake on the day of Renzi’s “snatching”. They have reached the edge of the ravine. Then, in the hall of Palazzo Carpegna, they signed a “ceasefire” for a mere matter of mutual interest. To avoid the risk of disappearing. They even said “Ciao” to each other again after weeks of beatings (copyright Calenda). Both have understood that the divorce of the parliamentary groups of Action and Italia viva, with the European elections upon us, really does not suit anyone. In the Senate, some exchanged glances between the two leaders, but in the end there is a truce.
The metaphor of “friends-for-strength” even proved to be benevolent for Matteo Renzi and Carlo Calenda. Because both have revealed their true nature: they are like water and oil. Impossible to mix. “And yet I had believed it,” confessed Calenda when interviewed by Courier. But whose fault, in this political soap opera, is it? “Cencio speaks evil of a rag”, says an old proverb on the banks of the Arno. To evoke it is a former loyalist (Florentine) of Renzi, who knew both well in the (golden) days of Palazzo Chigi. A proverb to say that both are to blame. Because the respective characters have irreconcilable traits: I in the first place. When Renzi governed and Calenda was his minister for development, clashes were the order of the day. But there was esteem: the prime minister recognized “Carlo” as competent in the delicate dossiers he managed on large companies.
Then, the estimate went down the drain some time after deciding to set up a “company” together. Renzi, as Machiavelli 2.0 as he is, during the electoral campaign and in the first months after the elections he reiterated like a mantra: «Me? The leader is Calenda, I take a step to the side». But of the hoped-for results, so far, not even the shadow. And then Renzi did “Renzi”. Slowly, he started working behind the scenes, with a well-defined plan: to cripple his ally. First he snatched Senator Enrico Borghi from the Democratic Party. A key move, because it allowed the leader of Italia viva to reach “six quota”, or the minimum number to form an autonomous group in Palazzo Madama in the event of a divorce of parliamentary groups, forcing the four Action senators to join the Misto group . Then he inflicted the second “sabotage”, snatching also the deputy NaikeGroupioni and Giulia Pigoni from Calenda, regional councilor and secretary of Action in Emilia-Romagna, thus also attacking the Calendian party “machine”. Just yesterday, with an open letter criticizing the leader, the board of Action in Rimini also resigned en bloc. Now days of peace are expected. But how long will it last?