by Br. Alexis Bugnolo

The Left Coalition Government in Italy, composed of the Cinque Stelle (Five Star Movement) and the Partito Democratico (Democratic Party) has serious problems.

While Matteo Salvini’s gamble to lead his party out of the ruling coalition in the summer of 2019 backfired, when the Five Star Movement (M5S) flipped orientations and united with the Democratic Party (PD) and formed a new coalition, the new government showed equally poor judgement by over playing their hand. They committed themselves to vindictive politics and voted in the winter to allow Salvini to be tried for having “kidnapped” illegal aliens by means of not allowing the NGO ship they were on board, dock at the port of Catania for 3 days.

They jeered with glee at the prospect of their political rival and ex partner going to prison and being excluded from any possibility of holding political office for the rest of  his life.

But their gamble backfired, because when the Tribunal in Catania actually began its hearing, it immediately called all the key members of the former government, who are currently members of the new government, to the bench: demanding they explain how the ex Minister of the Interior in his former capacity could be tried for kidnapping if what he did was in accord with the resolutions of the Cabinent for national security.

The boldness and quite unexpected demand of the Court send an earthquake through Italian politics. At last the Judiciary showed they had a spine and were not simply a craven servant of the Left. Many Italians had surrendered themselves to such a desperate view after the scandalous revelations of Judge Palamara, who was caught in an intercepted phone call to having promised to put Salvini on trial and exempt the other members of the former government.

The bold action of the Court, you would think, would have chastened and humbled the current government. But no, in response, they acted like spoiled brats who, having pushed out their rival from the sand box, are intent upon showing that they rule the roost. So this week the Government in Cabinet annulled the resolutions which were crafted when Salvini was Minister, regarding national security. They seem to think that in this way they can say that they were without fault in what Salvini did, but by such an action, they only demonstrated juridically that they had approved them.

No, rather, on November 17, the Tribunal of Catania has called them to to testify, which is an unheard of proceeding.

As a consequence, the ruling Coalition is beginning to crack. Yesterday, two roll calls had to be made in the Italian House — the lower chamber of Parliament — because the quorum necessary to hold proceedings was not present. The MPs were boycotting the session as a sign of disapproval.  The thing is, the MPs which were missing were those of the ruling coalition! Nineteen to twenty-six of them were on sick leave, claiming COVID-19 infections!

If that is not a passive aggressive sissy way of showing your disapproval, I do not know what is. But it did send a strong message. If the MPs consistently boycott the sessions in the House — called the Camera here in Italy — then the government will be institutionally paralyzed.

This government, called Conte bis, or Conte 2.0, because it is led by the same Giuseppe Conte, PM (here in Italy called the Presidente del Consiglio dei Ministri) has pretty much ruled like dictators and only turned to Parliament to get their rubber stamp on tyranny. I think the boycott was a way for the MPs saying that they did not want to go down with the ship.

Giuseppe Conte is uniquely vulnerable as a PM. Because since he is neither a Senator nor a MP he can be put on trial. And indeed he has been put on trial, but more than 2000 citizens who in May filed a criminal complaint against him personally for having kidnapped the entire nation by locking them in their homes and suppressed the civil and religious rights of the entire nation, by attempting to overthrow the Constitution and act as a dictator. He will have to appear at the Tribunal in Trento, in Norther Italy, on Nov. 14 in that case.

So Conte is going to have a busy November.

But that is not all.

The leader of the Democrat Party, who just happens also to be the Governor of Lazio, the Region in which Rome is situated, tried over the weekend to use what little remains of his political magic by decreeing that everyone at all times whether alone or in groups, when outdoors, wear a mask. — He did not say where to wear it. — But he did impose a fine of 400 euros if you are caught not wearing it.

The only problem is, that as soon as the decree was published, the Caribinieri, the City Police and the State Police all disappeared. They have issued no statements but they are clearly on strike. They are not in their usually positions in the city, and when they do appear they fine no one, even if he is without a mask standing a few meters away.

No government can stand long without the armed forces of its nation enforcing its laws and regulations. No government can rule if its own MPs wont come to Parliamentary sessions.

Thus, I believe it is indubitable that the Italian Government is going to collapse. The slow motion collapse has already begun.

Deo gratias!