Absent abroad and little aware of diplomacy, the Italian prime minister has no ideas to offer
Opinion
Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi is not able to rule a country. Democracy is democracy, and a person elected (it's not Renzi's case) will be fired by the people in the next elections if in his mandate a politician didn't show skills. Unfortunately Italy is always Italy, a country where people could confirm their preference for Silvio Berlusconi, another leader not capable to represent a country abroad. In managing Mogherini's affair, Renzi showed how too little is his political profile. Let's examine more in detail the situation.
1) generally speaking a candidate has to be put on the table few days before the negotiation. Federica Mogherini's name was put months ago, and during such a long period her option was replaced by others. Franco Frattini should have been taught: the Italian candidate for NATO was presented two years before Anders Fogh Rasmussen's end of mandate, and we all know who was replaced by;
2) During a negotiation a strategy is key. In case of EU, Renzi showed to have not a plan. He just decided to make Federica Mogherini the new High Representative without having a second or a third option. Without a possibility of choice loosing is certain. And Renzi will risk to loose. Again, most of the time politicians are actors: they say to want a thing, but in reality they want another one. Renzi just wants Mogherini where Lady Ashton is sitting now, but his real goal is to have Mogherini where Lady Ashton is sitting now. Not a good strategy at all;
3) A politician must can speak, and Renzi can't. It is not acceptable to hear from an head of government the declaration «I should have saved the travel» only because negotiations failed: democracy is always negotiations and research for a compromise. Sometimes it's easier to find a shared solution, other times it's more difficult. A prime minister should know all that, avoiding such a public reactions which damage the personal image. To tell «I should have saved the travel» is more again unacceptable when a political leader misses all the political arena where he's supposed to be. Renzi didn't go to PES meeting and he was the last leader to land in Brussels, arriving just in time for starting the EU council session. Who really is aware about politics knows agreements are reached in the bilateral talks preceding Council session. Missing these bilateral talks is a huge mistake. Once again, a lack of strategy;
4) To be powerful and count something it's key to be present. A politician far from the political arena is weak. In the year of the rotating presidency of the EU Renzi didn't bring any minister to Brussels (Sandro Gozi is not a minister for European Affairs, but only an under secretary of state - so a person with less power than a minister - responsible for the EU), and he himself doesn't go talk to the other socialist leaders and is not present when bilateral talks are required. Italy continues to show insufficient attention to international affairs, marking no changes of route compared to Berlusconi's era;
5) The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, suggested Renzi to take the seat of the presidency of the Council rather than that one of the High Representative. Renzi's blindness didn't permit to have a deal, showing - once again - how inadequate is the current Italian head of government. Renzi is fighting in order to appoint his minister for Foreign Affairs as High representative. That means to spend the only seat into the European Commission. Having the presidency of the European Council would give Italy the possibiliy to have that seat plus a seat into the Commission. So, accepting Van Rompuy's proposal Renzi would appoint two Italians in the EU institutions rather than one. Renzi didn't realize it;
6) Politics doesn't mean scream. Renzi creates noise while all the others work in silence.
Italian prime minister is young and it appears clear he has a lot to learn. But it's also clear that today is impossible to say he's a politician.
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| Matteo Renzi |
Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi is not able to rule a country. Democracy is democracy, and a person elected (it's not Renzi's case) will be fired by the people in the next elections if in his mandate a politician didn't show skills. Unfortunately Italy is always Italy, a country where people could confirm their preference for Silvio Berlusconi, another leader not capable to represent a country abroad. In managing Mogherini's affair, Renzi showed how too little is his political profile. Let's examine more in detail the situation.
1) generally speaking a candidate has to be put on the table few days before the negotiation. Federica Mogherini's name was put months ago, and during such a long period her option was replaced by others. Franco Frattini should have been taught: the Italian candidate for NATO was presented two years before Anders Fogh Rasmussen's end of mandate, and we all know who was replaced by;
2) During a negotiation a strategy is key. In case of EU, Renzi showed to have not a plan. He just decided to make Federica Mogherini the new High Representative without having a second or a third option. Without a possibility of choice loosing is certain. And Renzi will risk to loose. Again, most of the time politicians are actors: they say to want a thing, but in reality they want another one. Renzi just wants Mogherini where Lady Ashton is sitting now, but his real goal is to have Mogherini where Lady Ashton is sitting now. Not a good strategy at all;
3) A politician must can speak, and Renzi can't. It is not acceptable to hear from an head of government the declaration «I should have saved the travel» only because negotiations failed: democracy is always negotiations and research for a compromise. Sometimes it's easier to find a shared solution, other times it's more difficult. A prime minister should know all that, avoiding such a public reactions which damage the personal image. To tell «I should have saved the travel» is more again unacceptable when a political leader misses all the political arena where he's supposed to be. Renzi didn't go to PES meeting and he was the last leader to land in Brussels, arriving just in time for starting the EU council session. Who really is aware about politics knows agreements are reached in the bilateral talks preceding Council session. Missing these bilateral talks is a huge mistake. Once again, a lack of strategy;
4) To be powerful and count something it's key to be present. A politician far from the political arena is weak. In the year of the rotating presidency of the EU Renzi didn't bring any minister to Brussels (Sandro Gozi is not a minister for European Affairs, but only an under secretary of state - so a person with less power than a minister - responsible for the EU), and he himself doesn't go talk to the other socialist leaders and is not present when bilateral talks are required. Italy continues to show insufficient attention to international affairs, marking no changes of route compared to Berlusconi's era;
5) The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, suggested Renzi to take the seat of the presidency of the Council rather than that one of the High Representative. Renzi's blindness didn't permit to have a deal, showing - once again - how inadequate is the current Italian head of government. Renzi is fighting in order to appoint his minister for Foreign Affairs as High representative. That means to spend the only seat into the European Commission. Having the presidency of the European Council would give Italy the possibiliy to have that seat plus a seat into the Commission. So, accepting Van Rompuy's proposal Renzi would appoint two Italians in the EU institutions rather than one. Renzi didn't realize it;
6) Politics doesn't mean scream. Renzi creates noise while all the others work in silence.
Italian prime minister is young and it appears clear he has a lot to learn. But it's also clear that today is impossible to say he's a politician.
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