It would be suicide for Meloni to start a fight with Brussels
Former Italian Prime Minister: Italians vote with their hearts, not their minds
Romano Prodi.
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Former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi is concerned about the future of Italy and the European Union after Giorgia Meloni's election victory.
In an interview with Der Spiegel magazine, Prodi warned against the Rome-Budapest axis and suggested how best to deal with the right wing.
SPIEGEL: Was Giorgia Meloni's election victory a surprise to you?
■■ Brody: No, the polls made it clear.
Meloni is not an entirely new phenomenon.
She is one of those "rising stars".
And we had a lot of them in Italian politics, including Renzi, Salvini, Conte and the Five Star movement.
SPIEGEL: Their fall was as fast as their ascent. Would it be the same for Meloni?
■■Prodi: It's hard to say, because she has a solid majority in Parliament.
And we have a fundamental problem in Italian politics: unlike Germany, the parties here are not rooted in society.
There are no stable local structures, and caucuses are rare, if at all, held.
Italians vote with their hearts, not their minds.
SPIEGEL: Meloni has been labeled as far-right and populist; She says it is conservative. What description do you think is the most accurate?
■■Brody: It's definitely not a conservative.
During the campaign, she managed to hide where she came from and who her followers were.
And she ran the campaign alone as if she was alone.
But her party's Brotherhood of Italy allies are now in parliament.
SPIEGEL: Is Meloni a threat to Italian democracy?
Brody: It's definitely possible, yes.
At least in the medium term.
It has remained deliberately vague, when it comes to replacing parliamentary democracy with a presidential system.
I can imagine it trying to amend the constitution, but to do so, it either needs a two-thirds majority in Parliament, which it does not have, or it must hold a referendum, which it is currently likely to lose.
SPIEGEL: However, the majority of Italian voters chose a political party with fascist roots.
■■Prodi: If there are sudden, massive violations of basic rights, the protests will be massive, and I am convinced of that.
What frightens me are the gradual transitions, as Meloni will change things step by step;
Just like what happened in Hungary.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban has fought the central bank, the judiciary and the media.
SPIEGEL: You, Silvio Berlusconi, were defeated in the elections. What can be learned from this when it comes to dealing with right-wing populists today?
■■Brody: There is a need to form an alliance if you want to defeat the Right.
There should be agreement on a few basics and then stick to them.
I had spent an entire year traveling across the country, in that time, and had spoken to thousands of people.
SPIEGEL: Italy has had several successful months under the leadership of Mario Draghi. The economy has improved.
■■ Brody: Yes!
More powerful than Germany.
SPIEGEL: Why did the Italians, however, choose an outsider like Meloni?
■■Brody: I have no logical explanation other than the fact that Draghi surprised the parties with his resignation.
I would bet a million euros, until May, that he would stay in his position.
SPIEGEL: During the campaign, Meloni said, "It's over" for Europe.
■■ Brody: There is a difference between what you say in a campaign and what you do once you have the responsibility to judge.
The same applies to the "Five Star" movement.
It would be suicide for Meloni if she decided to start a battle with Brussels at this moment, in light of a war and an economic crisis.
What worries me most is that Italy could move away from Germany and France in the not too distant future and head towards countries like Hungary.
• What worries me most is that Italy may move away from Germany and France in the not too distant future, and head towards countries like Hungary.
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