Enrica Izzo: Radical radio we are in contact with Mirko De Carli, city councilor and ANCI councilor of the Popolo della Famiglia (Right-Wing italian Party). Mirko good morning and welcome.
Mirko De Carli: Good morning to you and welcome back, it’s always a pleasure.
Enrica Izzo: So we haven’t heard from each other for a few weeks there is a new government chaired by Giorgia Meloni. As is said, somewhat journalistically, it is a right-centre government, sometimes it is also described as right-right and there are already some initial measures. There is the first crisis with a foreign country as regards the reception policy and therefore I was talking about the crisis with France, in short, what is your opinion on these first steps of this government.
Mirko De Carli: A government, look, I would say, as I said on two occasions, right-wing and also proudly for those who belong to it, I look at it as an observer and from the political side that ran for opposition, of this majority, naturally open to positive signals that may come from the action of the government which is undoubtedly a proudly right-wing government with regard to the main issues of foreign policy and economic policy, in the wake of what was the line of the Draghi government. It is no coincidence that we in the Popolo della Famiglia have repeated it on several occasions, which almost seems as if there was a handover, even before the electoral campaign itself, between Meloni and Draghi, with respect to crucial issues, so if we look to the war in Ukraine and with respect to economic policy, it is a government that follows in the wake of what the last outgoing government did.
Enrica Izzo: Well, as far as the war in Ukraine is concerned, Fratelli d’Italia quietly voted in favor of sending arms.
Mirko De Carli: Yes, that’s what he’s always said, but not surprisingly, I repeat, it’s a government that has followed a line consistent with what was previously declared. With regard to national politics, it is moving a bit, I would like to say, in the wake of the style of the Polish government, which are now historic allies of the Brothers of Italy in the European Parliament. If we look at what they are doing in Poland, they are strongly Atlanticist. Strongly anchored to a relationship on economic issues, well established with the palaces of power in Brussels and then at a national level for example, Poland has open debates on the issue of civil rights, such as abortion and other issues in Italy on the issue of migrants, that is, those identity issues typical of the national right on which Giorgia Meloni is consolidating that honeymoon that started with her arrival in government. Personally, we are at the window, for now only announcements, let’s say that there is not much concrete, we look favorably on some things, for example on migrants there has been a change of line. It certainly needs to be looked at carefully, but I repeat, we have to see when the measures arrive, the concrete ones if it will actually be possible to make a change of pace; For now they seem more announcements than substance, we’ll see what happens.
Enrica Izzo: Listen, meanwhile in the economic and welfare fields there has been this increase for pensioners.
Mirko De Carli: Yes there was. An increase for retirees, teachers and school staff, with the renewal of the contract and the adaptation of the contract, which was a highly anticipated issue, on which the unions applauded the government. Here too, I repeat, there are small signs that go in the right direction, even if we must not forget that these choices had already been set by the previous Minister Brunetta, who had already set up this work with the Draghi government, so let’s say continue a work already planned. These are certainly good and right signs, which go in the right direction also for a dialogue between trade union forces and the Government, which this country needs to keep active and to keep permanent. But I repeat, this country is a country that has serious structural problems, in terms of social and entrepreneurial stability, with respect to the serious international economic and energy emergencies. This government will inevitably have to give a word of break and change of pace, when it does we will measure it on that because for now we say they are right issues, but which do not have an incisive impact on the living flesh of the country. Many companies are closing many jobs are being lost inflation is still very high. The government will have to make stronger interventions on this.
Enrica Izzo: What does a breaking word mean? And what rupture does the People of the family hope for then?
Mirko De Carli: At this point, inevitably, draconian policies have not rewarded and have not paid. As far as the country’s structural economic data is concerned, we have very high inflation, we have unemployment which unfortunately, especially in the youth sector of southern Italy, is increasingly dramatic.
We have a constant impoverishment of families, just look at the Istat data and a social breakdown of the families themselves. Important measures are needed to reduce the tax burden on labour, with the family quotient for intervention on the subject of the birth rate. It is not enough that with Eugenia Roccella he has the term minister of the birth rate to be able to face a dramatic and economically impacting problem like this. On these measures, field choices must be made which the Government has not yet even announced yet. And certainly disruptive, which could create friction even within the majority itself. Let’s wait at the gate, these are the issues that are closest to our hearts and objectively we need not only announcements, but concrete measures on which to invest money. Where will they find them and how will they put them. It will be one of the great themes of the relationship with Europe, with the trade unions, with Confindustria and with the country’s manufacturing sector.
Enrica Izzo: All right, we’ll definitely talk about it again. Of course the arguments are many, of course everyone is waiting now. Beyond the punctual controversies on each measure, especially the issues raised by the opposition and therefore we will certainly resume the discussion. Then the budget law will arrive shortly, so in my opinion it is correct to let them do it is one of the phrases with which Giorgia Meloni opened her government mandate, that is, let them do it, let them have the time necessary to prepare measures daughters of what is their vision of the country, which they want to implement and then we measure on the field. It is clear that, as we have said, at least in our small way of the Popolo della Famiglia, we will try to be a sentinel on the issues that characterize our political militancy, which has always been active and certainly not supine or let’s say prone, simply because there is a force policy to the Government which on certain issues has a sensitivity closer to ours. We will measure them on concrete things, as we did with Draghi and we will do the same with Meloni, hoping to find positive answers.
Enrica Izzo: Okay, listen, sorry, you were telling me that you watched Romanzo Radicale, the film that didn’t air last night on Rai, in which some stages in Marco Pannella’s life are retraced.
Mirko De Carli: So, I’m a night owl in some ways, so the night is an opportunity for study and deepening. After an evening of the usual, going around for political dinners with friends, I watched RAI Play Novel Radicale, as I have said several times, for me it is an honor to be a guest of Radio Radicale, because despite having an alternative ideal system, I always considered extraordinarily interesting to delve into an authentically popular story like that of Marco Pannella and the radicals with whom we measure ourselves, we compare ourselves and in the comparison between different people we grow and enrich ourselves more and more. As far as I’m concerned, I liked Novel Radicale for what I was able to see as a documentary. There are some very interesting and fascinating passages, especially on temperament, because many times it is more beautiful to know the man even before the public figure. And I want to say that I recognized a passage that struck me, because it strikes me to see that he has a very similar temperament to mine, in my very small way. Naturally the fact that he was a man capable of improvising overnight without precise rules, from deciding at six in the morning to pick up and go to Giulianova, his native land and go for a swim or the next day to go to Pisa with his radical friends of Pisa. Here that spirit is a bit what gave birth to the Popolo della Famiglia, to raise a community against the tide, with our efforts, with our money, with our commitment, with our passion. I also put my faith in it, because I’m not ashamed to say it and I believe that even if we are different, Luigi Amicone always told me that he fought many battles with Marco on the subject of prisons and on the subject of the amnesty, which can be found extraordinarily incredible meeting points and there can be a mutual fascination, which is certainly what I feel, with respect to your story and the story of Marco Pannella, who gives us interesting ideas every time.
Enrica Izzo: So let’s remember Romanzo Radicale, the film by Mimmo Calopresti. Then Mirko we will hear from you soon and we will return to comment on the current political situation. I just have to thank you! We thank Mirko De Carli and remind the audience at home that he is a municipal councilor and ANCI national councilor of the Popolo della Famiglia.
Mirko De Carli: Thanks to you! I wish a good day to all your listeners.
Source: Radio Radicale, an interview by Enrica Izzo