Bignami (FdI): "Calenda with the center-right? He's a leader we can talk to."

“Carlo Calenda, unlike others, stays focused. He judges proposals on their merits. He has a unique profile compared to opposition leaders.” Galeazzo Bignami, leader of the Brothers of Italy group in the Chamber of Deputies, expressed his esteem. We then asked him what he thought of the proposal launched by the Forza Italia deputy prime minister. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who, in view of the post-Sala era, has opened (or rather thrown open) the doors to Azione secretary Carlo Calenda. “Could there be an alliance with the center-right? Who knows . In the case of Milan, there's a particular breeding ground. I'm thinking of the fact that former Forza Italia mayor Letizia Moratti ran in the 2023 regional elections alongside Calenda and Renzi.” Of course. But, if the conditions were right, would you, the leader of Azione, welcome him? “Every region is different, but Calenda is certainly a leader you can engage with.”

Bignami says: "Calenda always judges the merits of things, which leads to discussion. After that, we need to understand what's happening in the local area on a case-by-case basis." And so we come to the last (or penultimate) moment of Azione's waltz with the center-right. A new chapter, written by Carlo Calenda (increasingly monad-like), who yesterday responded to Tajani's advances by calling for a "coalition of the willing." Against shattered bipolarism, he agreed with the Forza Italia regent on the idea of a civic committee at Palazzo Marino. And furthermore—inviting the reformists of the Democratic Party—he slammed the extremism of the League on the right and of the AVS and M5S on the left. Without ever mentioning, and therefore tarnishing, Giorgia Meloni's party. "Carlo Calenda is someone who goes his own way," Bignami says. We recall that perhaps this was also why he invited Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to the Azione national congress in March. Perhaps this was also why his candidacy for the center-right seat in Rome was mooted (the interested party, when questioned by this newspaper, neither confirmed nor denied it). And finally, this is why he, "who goes his own way," chose to withdraw from Campo Largo in the Marche region, rejecting the Ricci option. "Calenda is not following the opposition's current," commented the group leader in Montecitorio.

"On the left, there's an internal competition that works like this: they're striving to outdo each other, moving ever further to the left. The goal is to position themselves as far away from the government as possible on content, in an attempt to gain votes based on polarization." This polarization, as the leader of Azione (Action) speaks of, has shifted the Democratic Party toward the battles of Conte, Bonelli, and Fratoianni. "It's a movement that has shifted the opposition's center of gravity, and there's no doubt that this Calenda is different." Italo Bocchino—who currently supports the Marche candidate Acquaroli on communications—called him a "pragmatist." A man "anthropologically closer to Meloni than to Schlein." There you have it. It seems to us that the elements for making the quantum leap—or rather, D'Annunzio-esque—and moving toward life might be there. Or not? "I don't allow myself to give advice," Bignami smiles, "and as I said, every territory is different." But he votes with you, unlike Renzi, in favor of justice reform and the separation of careers. "In fact, for now, his willingness to discuss seems much more significant to me. Which doesn't necessarily mean reaching an agreement, but rather being focused on the issues at hand. Discussion leads to discussion." And, apparently, even with doors half-open.

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