Giuseppe Conte in Naples: “The 5 Star Movement will defend citizenship income and pact for Naples”
President Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Cinquestelle Movement, you were among the architects of the Pact for which it was then extended to other Municipalities in financial difficulties Naples – Fdi has triggered a debate that if it were to win the elections it intends to change the rules of engagement of the Pact . Is there always, will they be in the city and also in the Municipality, what are the moves of the M5S in this regard?
«I understand the will. On the other hand, Meloni also wants to remove the citizen’s income. The right obviously does not care about Naples, nor the fate of the many families who do not make it to the end of the month. To question the Pact means to bring the services offered to citizens to their knees ”.
Speaking of funds, even here from that political front, this time from the League, controversial signals are arriving on the PNRR. It seems that 40 per cent destined for the South can immediately have a slimming cure. In a moment of crisis and in a city that suffers like Naples, it would be a blow that is difficult to reabsorb: how are things?
«We will not allow it, we will defend the money for Naples and for the whole of the South. Salvini has only thrown the mask and the League is the same as always: a party that considers the South a ball and chain. When Salvini says Italians first, he continues to refer only to some Italians ».
In this context, the northern front raises the bar even more and aims straight at differentiated autonomy: what is the position of the Movement in this regard, are you in favor of differentiated autonomy?
«The State must guarantee the same rights and services to citizens throughout the national territory. This is why if we really want to think about sustainable autonomy we must first define the essential levels of performance. We must prevent the gap between North and South from widening, because this would penalize the entire country.
Naples is a bit the capital of citizenship income: it bothers you to be identified at a political level – in the third city of Italy only for this measure? What is the health of the Movement in the southern capital?
«The Income has helped millions of families to overcome a dramatic period, it has restored dignity to those who cannot make it. And it is crazy to cancel it now that there is a serious economic crisis, as the right would like to do. Here in Campania the Cinquestelle Movement works and is also invited for its commitment to legality and the battles for the environment, in a Region that has seen waste management intertwine with the Camorra and bad politics ».
You have chosen to run also in Naples in Campania 1: why this decision? What political signal does he want to dare?
«The Movement pays special attention to this territory, I would define it as a historical link. I gathered the strength and enthusiasm of this land, which is why I decided to put my face to it ».
The M5S comes out of a phase of labor and the electoral glories of 2018 seem far away, yet some polls give you policies over the League: from the inside what sensation do you have about the result of the M5S on appearances?
«For days I have been traveling around the country and gathering the hope and enthusiasm of the people for the new course of the Movement. It is the demonstration that talking about the urgencies of citizens is the right way, they appreciate our consistency and the seriousness of our proposals ».
The watchword for Italians is concrete, while politics in these days of the electoral campaign seems to have forgotten the love that gallops double, the energy that costs and the fame of work that is in the south. What is the Cinquestelle recipe for attacking these evils?
“Making the energy giants pay extra profits is our idea. But the government of the so-called best managed to misspell the rule and failed to collect 9 of the 10 billion expected. We have indicated an Energy Recovery Fund, a gas price ceiling and a budget variance that would immediately help families and businesses. But for the others, the priority is to allocate billions more for weapons. And now we are at this point ».
He is a candidate in the land of Luigi Di Maio – and also of Roberto Fico – it will not be a direct confrontation but at a distance, however, the confrontation will be the same: does this challenge excite you?
«Let’s not joke. I represent a true and healthy political force, a community of women and men who have not turned their faces away from the principles and values for which they have always fought. Di Maio only thought about defending her chair ».
Naples was the capital of the campo largo and it still is at least in the city council: do you expect repercussions on the municipality led by your friend Manfredi after the elections?
«I would say precisely of n. Manfredi is an expression of the best civic spirit, a capable and honest person and is working well ».
Has the alliance with the Democratic Party, and more generally with the reformist and progressive pole, been definitively broken? Does the Movement go back to its old ways by always going to elections alone?
«The current leaders of the Democratic Party preferred to interrupt a dialogue that was giving good results for the country. He embraced the Draghi agenda, which contained nothing, and swerved several times to build a coalition that held a little bit of everything in it. We go straight on our way, strengthened by our ideas which are clear ».