After the resignation of Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte, consultations at the Quirinale begin today, Wednesday, August, the 21st, and will end tomorrow, to give the country a new government: between risks and hopes for public gaming.
Only one thing is sure, today, in Italy: they will be flash consultations. After the conversation between
the resigning Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte and the
Head of State, Sergio Mattarella, the Quirinale has disclosed the timetable for the work, that begins today afternoon, Wednesday, August, the 21st, and then ends on Thursday, the 22nd, after the procession of all the protagonists of the current legislature. Putting all the possible solutions in place, in order to give concrete answers to the country. The timetable released by the Quirinale confirms the intention of the President of the Republic not to lengthen the times of a crisis that yesterday ended with the debate in the Senate and the resignation of Giuseppe Conte announced in the Chamber and then delivered to Sergio Mattarella in the evening.
In the discussion with the head of state that put an end to the "yellow-green" government nothing has emerged, only the feeling that the Quirinale doesn't consider the experience of the current majority completely "ended". In the statement released after the meeting, we read that Mattarella "takes note" of the resignation, without even the reserve to decide (as instead appeared in the previous formulas), inviting the settlement of current affairs and also avoiding the expression of the "Government in charge".
Certainly, looking at the calendar (shown below), proposing rather urgent rhythms, it is clear that this time extensions won't be granted unless there is a clear and public intention to engage in a new political government and a new majority. Only in front of an explicit request, the President Mattarella will be able to give space to pursue an attempt of this kind, perhaps inviting not to fall into the re-edition of tables for program contracts, as happened last year. But if a possible majority attempt were to be successful, then the prime minister appointed by the political forces could be immediately confirmed.
Now, unlike a year ago after the vote, we aren't dealing with the birth of a government but with the management of a crisis (although a still very ambiguous one and rich in political strategy) that cannot last too long without bringing the country at the edge of the abyss, given also the important autumn deadlines. For these reasons, it is to be expected that Matterella will corner political leaders, with possible paths that could be two: or a renewed Lega and 5 Stelle front, or a new one between Pd and 5 Stelle. And only if the attempts to create a new majority should fail, then the Head of State will have to opt for the dissolution of the Chambers and for the elections that, however, will be managed by a Government of electoral guarantee and not by an Executive government with Conte as Prime Minister and Salvini as Minister of the Interior, who no longer has any reason to exist.
THE CALENDAR OF CONSULTATIONS - As mentioned, the consultations of the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella begin on Wednesday, August, the 21st, at 4 pm at the Quirinale and will end on Thursday, August, the 22nd.
Here is the schedule for Wednesday, August, the 21st:
- The president emeritus of the republic Giorgio Napolitano, not being in Rome, will be heard by phone.
- 4.00 pm: President of the Senate, Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati
- 4.45 pm: President of the Chamber of Deputies, Roberto Fico
- 5.30 pm: “Per le autonomie (SVP-PATT, UV)" Parliamentary Group of the Senate
- 6.00 pm: mixed parliamentary group of the senate
- 6.30 pm: mixed parliamentary group of the chamber
- 7.00 pm: Liberi uguali Parliamentary Group of the Chamber
Here is the schedule for Thursday, August, the 22nd:
- 10.00 am: Fratelli d'Italia parliamentary groups of the Senate and the Chamber
- 11.00 am: partito democrativo Parliamentary Groups of the Senate and the Chamber
- 12.00 pm: Forza Italia parliamentary groups of the Senate and the Chamber
- 4.00 pm: lega parliamentary group of the Senate and the Chamber
- 5.00 pm: Movimento 5 stelle parliamentary Groups of the Senate and the Chamber
THE SCENARIOS FOR PUBLIC GAMING – The sector of public gaming remains on the line, just waiting to know the new government, like the rest of the country. Given that the creation of a new government majority will have significant implications for the industry, based on the policies that can be conducted against public gaming. Meanwhile, the good news for those working in the sector should be that of the "fall" of the current Executive government, because with it the government contract falls too, signed by the two political forces 14 months ago to start the current Legislature. A contract in which, as it is known, open war was declared against gaming. This is why a new government would mean a reset (albeit potential) of the political line to be followed. Even if the hypothesis of a new yellow-green executive government is still possible. But it would still be the result of a reorganization, from which, therefore, new ministers should also come out and, therefore, also the competences reassigned. And who knows if games can find another destination, compared to the current 5 stelle "management". In his speech in the Senate yesterday, Matteo Salvini made it clear - although referring to the Tav and to the industry in general and not to the gaming one - that Italy needs to grow and produce and that a "government of no" can just hurting the country and its economy, blaming former government colleagues for closing down on so many initiatives and for an approach that appeared hostile to businesses. A political line that, if applied also to the gaming sector as to the rest of the industry, could prove to be less ideological and more oriented towards the search for concrete solutions.
The other possible hypothesis, however, remains that of an axis between Pd and 5 Stelle, above all after the step back announced by a cumbersome figure like te former premier Matteo Renzi. A majority that, besides being difficult to imagine, due to the various differences between the two sides, also represents the most technically hostile one to the public gaming, remembering that the real problems for the sector began with the Renzi government, to then fall just with the 5 Stelle. Although, it must be said, both political forces, during their mandate, had imagined (or at least announced) a reform of the sector's reorganization. And who knows that this might be the right time to actually achieve it, perhaps even for mere cash purposes.
In the event of a new vote, on the other hand, there would certainly be a total reset of the current policies and of the government contract and the sure creation of a new and "real" majority. According to the polls circulating in recent weeks, the coalition destined to prevail would be the one of the center-right in its classic alliance, consisting of Forza Italia, Lega and Fratelli d'Italia, but with the difference that this time it could be precisely the Lega, perhaps with Salvini premier, to prevail A center-right government would probably be the most sensitive to business and the needs of the economy and, therefore, technically more inclined to consider the gaming industry simply as an industry. But it is also true that new hurried elections on the eve of the financial strategy would certainly not give space to set complex reforms, such as the one expected by the gaming, at least in the short term. With risk, indeed, of finding some surprises right during the drafting of the financial strategy. Even if the possible postponement of the VAT clauses (whose discussion could be postponed to April) could give greater serenity to the next Executive government, whatever it may be.