L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2022 L'Italo-Americano A s y o u k n o w , Italy's just got her new Presi- d e n t o f t h e Republic, after Sergio Mattarella ended his 7-years mandate. The coun- try is happy to introduce to t h e w o r l d h i s s u b s t i t u t e : S e r g i o Mattarella. Indeed, Mattarella got re- elected, something that has only happened once before in Italian history, in April 2 0 1 3 , w h e n G i o r g i o Napolitano was voted to be president again at the 6th voting session. When N a p o l i t a n o w a s a s k e d t o stay, 9 years ago, his speech on re-election day was clear: political powers had a duty t o e n s u r e c o n t i n u i t y a n d stability, therefore, also to a g r e e o n n a m e s w h o are super partes, that is, w i t h l i t t l e t o n o p o l i t i c a l affiliation, and adequate to embody the values of the country. Looking at the week that e v e n t u a l l y b r o u g h t , o n S u n d a y , 3 1 s t o f J a n u a r y 2022, to the second election of Mattarella to the presi- dency, it seems there's still a lot to do in Italian politics. Just like in 2013, the two main coalitions in the par- liament couldn't settle on a n a m e , b u r n i n g t o a s h e s within the space of one vot- ing session the candidature of President of the Senate C a s e l l a t i , a m o n g o t h e r s . There was so little agree- ment between left and right that some MPs, not without a h i n t o f c o m e d i c t a l e n t , mind, but perhaps with lit- tle respect for the institu- t i o n a n d t h e p e o p l e t h e y represent, even cast their vote for actors, soccer play- ers, and fictional TV charac- ters. Eventually, after a week of fiery debate, cloak-and- dagger style games of "he said/she said," and several m o r e o r l e s s s u c c e s s f u l names made and not voted, everyone agreed Mattarella had to stay another seven y e a r s . S o P r i m e M i n i s t e r Mario Draghi, himself a hot n a m e i n t h e p o l l s f o r a w h i l e , g a v e a c a l l t o o u r President, asked him polite- ly to unpack and, quite liter- ally, save the country from a n u n p r e c e d e n t e d c r i s i s . Mattarella, who had always been very clear about not wanting to remain at the Quirinale, accepted for the sake of the country he has so brilliantly served since 2015. If the country needs me, he said, I am here. M i n d , M a t t a r e l l a ' s r e - e l e c t i o n i s , f r o m m a n y points of view, the best it could happen to Italy: he's b e e n s o f a r a n e x c e l l e n t president, equally loved by people and highly respected by his peers, both in Italy and internationally. Indeed, foreign leaders have made very clear they were happy h e r e m a i n e d i n p l a c e . B e c a u s e M a t t a r e l l a i s a "Europeista," a supporter of the UE, he recognizes and endorses that common cul- t u r a l s u b s t r a t u m w e Europeans have. Now, in a moment in history where populist voices rise higher and higher in our streets, a n d j u s t a b o u t t w o y e a r s after Brexit took place offi- cially, having such a figure as head of state, in a coun- try as politically volatile as o u r s , m u s t s o u n d l i k e a guarantee to the world. This is especially true because of the concomitant presence, at Palazzo Chigi, of Mario Draghi, a man Mattarella himself called to lead the government last year. B u t i f , a l l i n a l l , Mattarella's second term was perhaps the best option we had, why has his re-elec- tion been seen as an enor- mous failure and an incredi- ble peculiarity? The prob- lem, as hinted at above, isn't in Mattarella – a man who d e m o n s t r a t e d t o b e a n excellent President – but rather in the incapability of Italy's political powers to provide and keep stability; an American friend who fol- lowed the elections every day with me, said it was like "watching toddlers fighting on a playground," and she hit the point perfectly. This election demonstrated how the greatest issue we have when it comes to politics is the inability of our repre- sentatives to transcend per- sonal or party goals and do what's good and right for the country. While we are not the only place to have this problem, and we cer- tainly believe in the old say- i n g m a l c o m u n e è m e z z o gaudio (a common evil is almost like happiness), we'd rather share something dif- ferent from political insta- bility with our fellow citi- zens of the world. But this is a very delicate subject, one that belongs to p o l i t i c a l j o u r n a l i s m , a n arena I'd rather not enter. S o l e t ' s d i s c u s s a n o t h e r i n t e r e s t i n g p e c u l i a r i t y o f t h e s e l a s t e l e c t i o n s : t h e president's second term. For Americans, that's absolutely normal, but for us, a parlia- m e n t a r y R e p u b l i c , w h e r e the President isn't elected directly by citizens, but by the Parliament and regional representatives, a double term only took place twice, with our last two presidents, G i o r g i o N a p o l i t a n o , r e - elected in 2013, and Sergio Mattarella, re-elected two w e e k s a g o . W h i l e Napolitano made his second t e r m s h o r t b y r e s i g n i n g after two years, it looks like Mattarella wants to remain faithful to the Constitution and stay put for the whole seven. B e c a u s e , w h i l e t h e Constitution does not open- ly deny the possibility to s e r v e m o r e t h a n s e v e n years, it also does not open- ly declare it is acceptable, u n l e s s i n c a s e o f s e v e r e need, such as during a war. One may argue that, with all t h a t h a s b e e n h a p p e n i n g during the past two years, we may well call these elec- tions an emergency, but it's a matter of points of view. M a t t a r e l l a h i m s e l f , w h o knows a thing or two about the Constitution, consider- ing that he's been a judge and constitutional legisla- tor, highlighted that a dou- ble-election to the Quirinale isn't openly contemplated. T h e l e n g t h o f e a c h t e r m , seven years, is also seen as an obstacle because it would leave the same person in the highest political position in the country for a relatively long amount of time, some- thing we tend not to enjoy too much in Italy, after all that happened during fas- cism. Political commentators have been hinting at the fact that, perhaps, it's time for Italy to turn the page and to b e c o m e a p r e s i d e n t i a l republic just like the US or France: candidates would run their campaigns and we would vote them directly. Yet, there is no guarantee a new system would work bet- ter, nor that it would avoid an impasse like that experi- enced two weeks ago. For the moment, we can enjoy the stability and prestige the Mattarella-Draghi duo gives t h e c o u n t r y , e s p e c i a l l y i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y . I n s e v e n years, we'll see what hap- pens. Giorgio Napolitano was the first President of the Republic to be elected twice. Mattarella is the second (Photo: Adriano Castelli/Dreamstime) Our new President is … our old President. Why re-election is so rare in Italy CHIARA D'ALESSIO LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE

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