The (re)unmasking of Silvio Berlusconi as the real Italian enemy of democracy and Europe
English original of article published this morning in Italian in La Stampa
Background: The leaking of two audio recordings of Silvio Berlusconi’s views on the war in Ukraine to an Italian news agency has thrown the process of government formation by the leader of the right-wing coalition, Giorgia Meloni, into serious question. Berlusconi made plain in a meeting with parliamentarians from his now small party, Forza Italia (44 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, 18 in the Senate), that he backs Vladimir Putin’s line about the war, and disagrees fundamentally with the policy of Mario Draghi’s government, and that of Giorgia Meloni. In the remarks, he blamed Volodymyr Zelensky for the war, claimed Putin is a “man of peace”, and compared President Joe Biden unfavourably with Donald Trump. Whether he is deeply disloyal and narcissistic, or this is a power play, or at 86 years old he has lost some of his marbles remains to be seen. It may be all three.
Perhaps he has done Italy, and Giorgia Meloni, a favour. By his words about Putin, Zelensky, Biden and Trump, Silvio Berlusconi has confirmed, once and for all, that the idea that he is a moderate, an experienced statesman, someone the new president of the council should phone regularly for advice, is utter nonsense. Worse, it is a brazen lie. No one can doubt now that he is not only unfit to lead Italy, as The Economist said 21 years ago, but he is totally unfit to be given any role at all by the new government.
The seriousness of this cannot be over-stated. This is a time of war on the continent of Europe, a war chosen by and propagated by Vladimir Putin. It is a military war against Ukraine and its people, and is an energy war against all the countries of Europe. President Draghi has made Italy’s position on the war crystal clear. And so has Giorgia Meloni.
Berlusconi’s stance is therefore a direct challenge both to Italy’s national policy and to the personal authority of the leader of the right-wing coalition he ran as part of in the elections less than one month ago, Meloni. It is not just a minor disagreement about some policy or other. It is a blatant attack on Mario Draghi, on Meloni and on the values of both Italy and Europe.
By making his real views apparent, Berlusconi has proved what those of us who have followed him for many years always knew: that he is an extremist and is no friend to democracy, human rights or the European Union.
He has left Meloni with no choice: she must repudiate Berlusconi’s views immediately and clearly, and cannot include anyone loyal to him as a minister in her government, certainly not in foreign affairs. Otherwise, she will destroy her own credibility, a credibility which she has worked hard to earn during this war and the election campaign.
This could even be an opportunity. Publicly or privately, she should now tell members of Forza Italia that only if they disavow Berlusconi’s views on the war can there be a place for them in her team, whether by joining Fratelli d’Italia or as independent members of Parliament. That way, she can isolate Berlusconi and, hopefully, force him into a de facto retirement.
It will not be before time. The damage Berlusconi wrought during his time in government [1994-95; 2001-06; 2008-11], both directly and to Italy’s reputation, is too well documented to need repeating here. But also by refusing to retire from politics, even after his criminal conviction, he thwarted the emergence of a successor in his party and probably thereby delayed the moment when the right could return to power.
Now with these views on Putin and Ukraine he threatens to do further damage to Italy’s reputation, both in Europe and with the United States. There was already concern about pro-Russia views in Italy. Now he has amplified that concern one hundredfold.
His views on America also threaten to bring damage. Anyone with a proper regard for the truth would know that Donald Trump’s soft, even obsequious relationship to Putin will have encouraged Russia to feel emboldened. President Joe Biden can be criticised for many things, but the strength and resolution of his military, intelligence and financial support for Ukraine has been outstanding.
Biden has done much to restore Europe’s faith in the importance and reliability of the transAtlantic alliance, and in America’s continued support for European security and values. For Berlusconi to pour scorn on that and to seek to undermine it is nothing short of outrageous. In fact, it is treasonous.