Political-Parliamentary News, edition of 7 June 2024

In this edition we talk about the European elections, the latest rallies, the anti-semitic phrases of Lollobrigida's spokesperson, the words of Minister Fratin on renewables

ROME – COUNTDOWN FOR THE EU VOTE, THE NEW PARLIAMENT IS ELECTED

European elections, the members of the new Parliament will be decided between Saturday and Sunday. In Italy the election weekend is upon us. Citizens will be able to go to the polls on Saturday 8th from 3pm to 11pm and on Sunday 9th from 7am to 11pm. The regional elections in Piedmont and the administrative ones have also been merged with election day. Once the voting is closed, the counting operations will begin. For the municipal elections the counting of ballots will start at 2pm on Monday 10th. In some EU countries voting operations have already begun. The Dutch were first, having gone to vote yesterday. There are 373 million citizens called to choose their representatives in the 27 member states. 720 seats are up for grabs in the European Parliament for the tenth legislature, with 76 members going to Italy.

LATEST ELECTION RALLIES, THE PARTIES FEAR ABSTENTION

Final rush of the parties for the European elections. The rallies conclude today before the electoral silence descends. In the late afternoon, PD secretary Elly Schlein is expected in Padua, on the stage where 40 years ago Enrico Berlinguer held his last rally before dying. Closure in Palermo instead for Giuseppe Conte and the M5s candidates. Last efforts also in the center-right. For the secretary of the League, Matteo Salvini, some meetings with citizens between Milan, Bergamo and Pavia, after the marathon in the square yesterday with General Vannacci. The specter of a high abstention rate looms over the vote, thanks not only to the arrival of the great heat. Yesterday Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni launched an appeal to go to the polls: “Don’t look the other way, the EU takes care of us more than we think”.

ANTI-SEMITIC PHRASES, LOLLOBRIGIDA’S SPOKESPERSON IN THE STORM

Paolo Signorelli, spokesperson for Minister Lollobrigida, has self-suspended. The journalist was forced to step back after the publication of some anti-Semitic chats, in which he praised neo-fascists. These are messages exchanged years ago with the Lazio ultras and drug trafficker Fabrizio Piscitelli, known by the name of Diabolik. “I don’t remember those sentences – Signorelli justifies – they are serious contents, distant from me”. “I trust he can deny it”, saysthe Minister of Agriculture Lollobrigida. For the opposition, self-suspension is not enough. “Fratelli d’Italia has never severed ties with neo-fascism,” says the Democratic Party. Alleanza Verdi Sinistra writes to the Anti-Mafia commission.

RENEWABLES, PICKET: OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED IN SUITABLE AREAS

Agreement reached in the Unified Conference on the decree on suitable areas on renewable sources. “A new step towards decarbonisation”, comments the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto. “It is an objective achieved – he explains – we have unlocked a long-awaited provision”. The text establishes the criteria for identifying the areas intended for the plants. It will then have to be issued by the minister. Mase adds Pichetto, “has always promoted the path of discussion with regional administrations and local authorities”. It will be possible to reach 80 additional gigawatts of renewables “by balancing – concludes the owner of Mase – energy development, environmental protection and landscape protection”.