Italy 2013: The official thread

[RodPresident]

Who's Meloni? The last trial heat had Renzi boosting PD to a 7-point lead over M5S with PDL in third.

Giorgia Meloni, one of FdI leaders. She wouldn't have Berlusconi's rejection and could bring some populist voters.

[SPQR]

Who's Meloni? The last trial heat had Renzi boosting PD to a 7-point lead over M5S with PDL in third.

Giorgia Meloni, one of FdI leaders. She wouldn't have Berlusconi's rejection and could bring some populist voters.

She would lose most of the populist voters,actually.
People who are somehow close to PdL,already vote PdL.

At the same time,without Berlusconi,PdL would lose plenty of those populist voters.

[RogueBeaver]

PdL's support nearly halves without Berlusconi, as we saw in summer polls. Which is what happens when you remove the personality from its cult.

Speaking of polls, new SWG has M5S 30%, PdL 29%, PD 27%, Monti 9.

[Antonio the Sixth]

PdL's support nearly halves without Berlusconi, as we saw in summer polls. Which is what happens when you remove the personality from its cult.

Speaking of polls, new SWG has M5S 30%, PdL 29%, PD 27%, Monti 9.

This can't be real.

[RogueBeaver]

PD dropping 2, PdL holding steady and M5S gaining 5 is basically MOE stuff, hardly unbelievable.

[Keystone Phil]

PD dropping 2, PdL holding steady and M5S gaining 5 is basically MOE stuff, hardly unbelievable.

I think he was saying it more as a statement of disgust.

Love the idea of Meloni leading the center-right. Don't think that is likely anytime soon though.

[Tender Branson]

The Parliamentary speaker candidate for the Clown party is named Robert(o) Fico ?

LOL.

Did the Slovak PM move to Italy to run for the Clowns ?

[Keystone Phil]

Interesting that both chambers' presidents are from Sicily.

Who was Boldrini's main opponent in the Camera election?

[Antonio the Sixth]

The Parliamentary speaker candidate for the Clown party is named Robert(o) Fico ?

LOL.

Did the Slovak PM move to Italy to run for the Clowns ?

Fico means fig in Italian BTW.

[mappix]

Interesting that both chambers' presidents are from Sicily.

Who was Boldrini's main opponent in the Camera election?

Boldrini comes from Marche.
Her main opponent was Fico from M5S.

[Keystone Phil]

She must be from Marche originally but she currently represents a Sicilian district (though I guess that could be like how Silvio's seat was in Molise in 2006 and 2008, I believe).

[mappix]

She must be from Marche originally but she currently represents a Sicilian district (though I guess that could be like how Silvio's seat was in Molise in 2006 and 2008, I believe).

Yes, you are right. She was candidate in Marche, Sicilia 1 and Sicilia 2 and she opted for Sicilia 2. Berlusconi opted for Molise this year as well.

[Antonio the Sixth]

She must be from Marche originally but she currently represents a Sicilian district (though I guess that could be like how Silvio's seat was in Molise in 2006 and 2008, I believe).

Yes, you are right. She was candidate in Marche, Sicilia 1 and Sicilia 2 and she opted for Sicilia 2. Berlusconi opted for Molise this year as well.

LOL. He must have something against the poor guy who was second on the list there.

[RogueBeaver]

Any idea how long the consultations will take? Or if PD and PdL have agreed on a consensus presidential candidate?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Or if PD and PdL have agreed on a consensus presidential candidate?

I sure hope they don't. Any President agreed by the PdL would be godawful.

[RogueBeaver]

Need one for a new election though. One name I've heard is Amato, which makes sense. Both sides respect him and he's presided over a party system collapse before.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Need one for a new election though. One name I've heard is Amato, which makes sense. Both sides respect him and he's presided over a party system collapse before.

No we don't. PD+Monti have a majority in the electoral college.

[RogueBeaver]

Awesome. Wonder who else might be floated.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Awesome. Wonder who else might be floated.

I don't know... Prodi was floated around at some point, and I'd support him. He has an integrity that is rare in Italian politics. PdL hates him for obvious reasons.

I just hope Montists don't get too picky.

[RogueBeaver]

Monti doesn't seem like someone who'd be an obstructionist here.

[Andrea]

There's an off the record  (I saw it on Corriere website) with Castagnetti, Bindi and Zingaretti in the middle of a street while waiting for Monti (it was for a ceremony to remember Moro's death) and talking about Speakers choices....it was recorded this morning and it seems that until last night Marianna Madia was going to be the PD candidate for Camera Speakership!

LOL! Did they seriously imagine Madia as Speaker?! Bindi is heard saying Franceschini intervened to switch to the Boldrini-Grasso duo.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Who is Marianna Madia? Never heard before.

[Andrea]

Who is Marianna Madia? Never heard before.

A 30 something girl who was put at the top of PD list in Lazio in 2008 after being handpicked by Veltroni to show renewal (along with Pina Picierno in Campania. Picierno is closer to Franceschini). Her CV at the time included having dated Napolitano's son. So she was immediately badmouthed as a "raccomandata".

[Antonio the Sixth]

Who is Marianna Madia? Never heard before.

A 30 something girl who was put at the top of PD list in Lazio in 2008 after being handpicked by Veltroni to show renewal (along with Pina Picierno in Campania. Picierno is closer to Franceschini). Her CV at the time included having dated Napolitano's son. So she was immediately badmouthed as a "raccomandata".

LOL I see.

[Antonio the Sixth]

It looks like both new speakers are "outsiders" and representatives of the "civil society". They seem to be admirable people (Boldrini apparently worked in the UN against poverty and Grasso was an anti-mafia magistrate). Great move by the PD.