The turmoil of politics
The political juncture Italy is currently experiencing is agitated. Agitated mainly by international tensions. The balances are changing and are requiring adjustments to the country’s diplomatic and geopolitical posture. The most obvious example is Italy’s exit from the so-called ‘Silk Road’, the memorandum with China that provided for Chinese investment in the commercial infrastructure of Western countries. The conciliatory attitude of our government has gradually changed in recent years, starting with the second Conte government and ending with Mario Draghi’s energetic squeeze. Meloni’s decision to pull out of the pact shows a radical change in attitude, in line with what happened in the rest of Europe, where the arrangement had long been considered economically inconvenient and politically compromising.
Another front of unrest is within the majority. Here the feeling is that it is a tension whose intensity is directly proportional to the approaching election deadline. In short, nothing to worry about. But it is now clear that the League is experiencing the absolute and moderate leadership of the Fratelli d’Italia-Forza Italia axis with slight impatience. An impatience that resurfaces whenever there is a need to clarify certain positions, especially with regard to its electorate. And this is where the ‘agitations’ arise, because the League knows that it is the only political force interpreting that critical sentiment towards Europe that so annoys Meloni, who is always intent on strengthening her relations in Brussels. Hence the tensions, culminating with the umpteenth clarification between the two leaders yesterday at Palazzo Chigi, sealed by Salvini’s letter to Corriere della Sera. A cryptic letter, which, although it reassures on the tightness of the majority, nevertheless does not conceal the internal divergences within the majority on the European political set-up. A clear call to arms for her electorate in view of the 2024 European elections, the real ‘midterm’ test for the Meloni government, in which the stakes are very high to define the leadership of the second half of the legislature. Meloni’s answers are expected at Atreju, her party’s traditional annual event.
Returning to the international level, it is interesting to note the attitude of the United States, which in recent weeks is also focused on the intense election campaign for the 2024 presidential election. The Washington Post’s investigation into Ukraine’s counteroffensive and its tendency to fail has caused debate, especially because it highlighted the rift in the understanding between Kiev and Washington. Tactical military differences allegedly led to greater political distance between the two governments. The failure was all but confirmed by all those involved. And Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasised this, stating that ‘the counteroffensive has completely failed’. And perhaps this momentary outcome could be linked to the opening of the other front of the war, that of Israel, where the US is decidedly more exposed politically and economically.
In addition to trying to mend a truce, diplomacy is questioning what will be the arrangement of the Gaza Strip after the end of the war. The United States is evaluating which is the best option “among all the bad choices”, writes the Ap: the Biden Administration’s preferences go to the management of the Strip by a “revitalised” Palestinian National Authority: the solution does not please Israel at all and pleases the Palestinians little, but it could also turn out to be the only viable option.
The resumption of hostilities involves the West Bank, where the United States asks Israel to curb the violence of the military and the settlers and intends to deny visas to extremist settlers; and also the border with Lebanon, where the exchange of blows – occasionally lethal – with Hezbollah goes on. The tremors of war arrive at the Red Sea, where missiles fired by Yemen’s Huthirebels hit three commercial ships, while a US warship shot down three gifts in a defensive operation. The Huthi claimed the attacks, explaining that they wanted to prevent Israeli ships from sailing in the Red Sea.
