Comment by Ivaylo Noizi Tsvetkov:
No, of course, we do not completely resemble Italy, don't think so - neither in terms of cuisine, nor in terms of attitude to history, nor in terms of art. Thank God we do not resemble fascism either, invented there as a generic nationalist attempt to raise a new Roman Empire.
However, we can learn a lot from Giorgia Meloni's ambivalent attitude towards liberal democracy, which seems to be in decline even in France. We have things in common with Italy - both in terms of theft and in terms of the apparent liberal consensus. The difference is that here we enjoy kind, big-time rulers, already pure left-wing populists, who assure us that everything is fine and the state will take care of everything, while in Italy they have Meloni. For the first time since World War II, as a leader, she does not hide her fascist origins. I will clarify right away: Giorgia Meloni is not at all guilty of Mussolini's rule, but for the first time, Italians seemed to vote decisively to the right and "forgive" their ancestors for what actually gave rise to German Nazism later.
Masters of the hidden language of hate
By the way, historical guilt has not been a topic there for a long time, for a number of reasons there was no "defascization" and "de-Mussoliniization", and today they do not think about it at all. In our country, too, there was never a realistic discourse on practical decommunization. Today, Italians think, like us, primarily about European funds under the development plan, which in their case will total over 200 billion euros. And this is partly due to the supposedly "centrist" government of Meloni. Oh, shit: Giorgia seems to Italians not just acceptable, but also a completely wonderful populist after the absolute Berlusconi. She is, of course, also rabidly opposed to immigration to the Italian islands (at least in her public speaking). This somehow makes her similar to our governments in the last ten years, which have not had de facto an ounce of their problems on the issue, but nevertheless, as neo-populism dictates, we secretly hate foreigners and cross ourselves three times that not a single wave of refugees wants to stay in our country.
The Italian populists, including Meloni, are masters of the hidden language of hate, ours here are like chavdars. In Italy, they always remind not only of the legacy of Rome, but also of medieval city-states like Venice, Florence and Genoa. They are also masters of rejecting the guilt for fascism - in a similar way, our post-communists, who have suffered a lot of people, are today the basis of almost all political parties.
The example of "Meloni"
And they, our current status quo, can seriously learn from Meloni - with the proviso that in Italy they have far clearer understandings of left and right. Giorgia's "Fratelli d’Italia" took power in September 2022. Of course, all the truly liberal media around the world reacted with shock and declared that the new government was "neo-fascist". However, three years later it turns out that a generic "fascist" or not, Meloni is pursuing a very sensible right-wing policy that will keep all the extreme Salvinites out of power. Doubts that she is a political neophyte and will not cope were dispelled in the first year, while Italy - the country that has perhaps suffered the most from Covid - was recovering. Unlike ours here, she managed to convince the average Italian that life is returning, you will be able to sit with a glass of grappa again, discussing politics, and Pope Berlusconi is no more.
And this, note, without taking away basic human freedoms despite her harsh declarations - to the people there she seems honest, albeit the first female prime minister in a strictly machista country.
And here our status quo can learn a lesson. Things are changing, including digitally generationally - stop confronting the main opposition PP-DB, this does not bring benefits to the upper strata of society. Confront the Chevengurs like Radev and Kostadin, and with smart right-wing measures keep them away from power. In Italy, of course, it's a little different - there are no pro-Russian deviants, historically or in general, and since Aldo Moro and Enrico Berlinguer there have been no real "communists".
Another thing about our politicians, especially the residual democrats: the Italian temperament often makes it so that the quarrels are not between parties and ideologies, but within the parties themselves. This happened in Salvini's "Lega" and in the late Berlusconi's "Forza Italia". But the impressive lady made it so that almost all recognizable dissatisfied with other parties could join the ranks of "Fratelli".
And do we have such a politician?
And the most important lesson for our people: no matter what she does against liberalism, as far as the Italian Paesano perceived it, Meloni holds an absolutely firm course towards the Euromainstream, set by her predecessor Mario Draghi. Percho, Giorgia - unlike Hamlet's Macron - gives the impression of an exceptional pragmatist. Outside of ideologemes, our people here can resolutely study her, no matter how much their macho feeling does not allow the understanding that this lady is already a proven politician. Yes, there are also reservations - first of all, her neo-fascist background, the controversial maneuvers with refugees, and in Tuscany, for example, they are angry about some additional tourist tax. But if our people really need to take an example of balanced right - I emphasize, right - politics, Giorgia Meloni is an adequate example.
Because she balances. She sits in "Palazzo Chigi" in Rome, doesn't drive around in a jeep, and does the carrot and stick thing for individual socio-cultural groups. She understands that Giulio Andreotti's Italian pseudo-liberalism no longer works, with apologies for the rhyme. She simply told herself honestly to this aging nation that yes, she will "suck" everything from the EU that is possible, but just lying down and having a coffee with grappa won't do.
The Italians obviously understood her. Do we have such a politician? Or are we about to?