VIDEO | Books, ‘Crossings’ by Bettini: “Even in the enemy there is a piece of truth”
The presentation on Monday 13 May at the Rome Auditorium with Conte, Gualtieri and Rutelli
ROME – “We live in a phase in which the space of the free spirit has been drastically reduced, that is, the gratuitousness of the act of thought, of action, something that exists in human beings: the desire to meet the ‘other, only by comparing yourself with others can you address issues that are bigger than you.” And this ‘other’ can “also be a tough political opponent, because in him too there is always a piece of truth that is needed”. We are talking about ‘Crossings’, the latest book by Goffredo Bettini, national leader of the Democratic Party, which on Monday 13 May at the Rome Auditorium will be at the center of the discussion, as well as with the author, between Giuseppe Conte, leader of the M5s, Roberto Gualtieri, mayor of Rome, and Francesco Rutelli, former mayor of the capital now president of Anica.
‘Crossings’ contains life stories and encounters of Goffredo Bettini, who in the book defines himself as an “Italian communist and democrat”, over 50 years of political life. Nine chapters each dedicated to a character: Gianni Borgna, brilliant councilor for culture of Rome, the poet, writer and director Pier Paolo Pasolini, the philosopher and politician Mario Tronti, Pietro Ingrao, Francesco Rutelli, Renzo Piano, Luciano Berio, Andrea Augello senator of Fratelli d’Italia and Franca Chiaromonte, feminist and communist. It is a “differently political” book, says Bettini, “about friendship, about people I know and who are important to me, friends who cross paths, in the sense that everyone leaves something to the other, reciprocally”. It is not a nostalgic book, Bettini underlines, “it is certainly a painful book because it describes an anthropological change in politics. In the past there was dialogue, the ability to listen, politics was also silence, today everything is consumed by the second, politics is superficial, the scenarios are always in motion. It is not possible to construct a meaning, and this is especially negative for the forces that want to change society, because if you want to change society you have to know where to go and if you don’t know then it’s the end” .
The story of the friendship with the right-wing politician, Andrea Augello, a tough opponent who recently passed away, is striking. Augello, senator of the Brothers of Italy, before his death had ordered that only Goffredo Bettini and Giorgia Meloni, leader of his party, should speak at his funeral. “There was a very loyal relationship with Augello – says Bettini – I think that in our political part it is necessary to build the broadest unity, but in politics the ability to understand must reach the opponents, because in every opponent there is that pinch of truth that can be useful to you too. There were tough political clashes with Augello but always in loyalty”.
Bettini is very critical of the ‘costification of everything’, even Pope Francis… “He is one of the most coherent and critical voices of this type of modernity, of the fact that today everything is bought and sold, even in politics it is a continuous trading of places, egos and often disproportionate ambitions”. On Monday with Bettini there will be Conte, Gualtieri and Rutelli: “I have a good and friendly relationship with all three – he replies – and there is certainly a political significance: I hope that the Democratic Party has great success, that it confirms that it is the center of gravity of an opposition and alternative government area. We are not enough, we need the patience to build a broader coalition, because today Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government is in the minority in the consensus of Italian citizens consensus towards the right in consensus towards an alternative government”. A job of great patience that falls above all on the Democratic Party, “because as great politicians taught me, I think of Moro, in building the unitary process when the others are limping you have to work for two”.