Maroni: “The alternative to Berlusconi is the vote”

“The Government won’t last long like this.” Without beating about the bush, Roberto Maroni gave a clear answer to Fabio Fazio, on the programme, Che tempo che fa, on Sunday.

The minister went on: “We should either respect the commitments taken with Europe, or state that we’re unable to. The problem is the cohesion of the majority, which has to be convinced. On Tuesday, Berlusconi will present the things that must be done. If we have the numbers, we’ll go on, otherwise the best thing is to go to the vote.”

In answering Fazio on the possible alternatives to an election, Maroni kept going back to the Spanish situation. “A lot has been said about Zapatero’s decision to go to the vote. Why can’t we do the same? In a democracy, the person who wins the election governs. One of the most important innovations introduced by Berlusconi is that of deciding alliances before the election.

The minister gave his personal opinion about the electoral law. “I liked the law with single-member constituencies, because it guaranteed a healthy competition between two candidates. We return to that system in three weeks. There’s a lot of talk in Parliament, but I don’t think anyone wants to go to the vote. The serious problem is inside the PDL, and the Northern League can’t do anything about it.”

Maroni did not comment on the remarks of a number of other ministers, but he had no doubt about the Prime Minister at Cannes. “Berlusconi shouldn’t have made that remark about the crisis. I travel around, and I see how difficult it is for companies and families. There’s no need to make matters worse, or to hide the truth.”

Does this Government have any merit? Here, the minister spoke about what he has achieved. “We’ve done a lot for public order, with the arrest of 28 of 30 dangerous Mafia fugitives. The strong political majority at the beginning of the term collapsed on three things: personal ambition, namely the creation of the FLI, and Fini’s decisions, and the resistance of the lobbies and of the public administration. Then there was the serious economic crisis. Some say we didn’t do enough. In part, that’s true, but now, countries have few powers to act.”

A question was also asked about Varese, and here, Maroni went deeper into the world of the Northern League. “The conference in Varese caused an uproar because we were up against a genuine movement. We aren’t a plastic party. Federalism is the true revolution. We are serious people, and we don’t look at the polls. The strategic goal is clear in our minds and we’re moving in that direction. If federalism is our goal, how can we work with those who voted against it? It’s better to go to the vote.”