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Home , Alessandro Di Battista, Beppe Grillo, Chiara Appendino, Italian Left, Luigi Di Maio, Marco Travaglio

JANUS 2018-2019

1.14 • Conjuntura internacional THE CAN OF TUNA FISH IS STILL INTACT. THE RISE OF IN TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY Giuseppe Motta

THE RECENT YEARS HAVE WITNESSED the rapid In 2005, the supported the birth of local so- ty, sustainable development, connectability, envi- rise of an unconventional political movement/party cial networks to communicate and spread politi- ronment. The main idea was the centralism of the that represents a sore thumb in the European cal messages at the local level through the first citizen, who can become an active part of the po- political scenario, a combination of direct democra- Amici di meetups. The political plat- litical system through the instruments of direct cy, , euro-scepticism and environmental form of these experiments was focused on tech- democracy.2 battles: the Five Star Movement (Movimento 5 nology and innovation, ethical consumerism, en- As stated by Natale and Ballatore, the movement Stelle, M5S). vironment protection, public transports, but adopted the cyber-utopian discourses from the so- But how has it succeeded in gaining such a posi- obviously could not help denouncing the inability called Californian ideology, and symbolically tion in less than 10 years since its foundation? of the traditional political parties to establish a identified itself with the web. The traditional polit- The history of the Five Star Movement cannot be real alternative to the current political course. ical establishment was associated with “old” me- understood without some information about its In 2007, a national coordination was established dia (television, radio, and the printed press), and founder, the comedian Beppe Grillo, who was a and Beppe Grillo launched the idea of a Fuck-off was a “walking dead,” destined to collapse against real TV celebrity during the first half of the Eight- Day (Vaffanculo Day, V-Day), a public mobilisa- an innovative web-based direct democracy.3 ies, but was later banned from the public space tion in order to protest against the Italian political In 2010-2012 regional and local elections, M5S owing to a gag injuring ’s Socialist system. The first V-Day was held in on candidates generally obtained scarce electoral re- Party: in that moment Craxi was a powerful politi- September 8 (a symbolic date reminding of the sults but the first M5S mayors were elected at Par- cian, the protector of ’s media WW2 armistice) and was associated to the initiative ma, Sarego, Mira and Comacchio. empire. Later on, in the early nineties, he became “Clean Parliament” aiming to prevent the nomina- The 2012 regional elections in , in particular, the symbol of the widespread system of corrup- tion as parliamentary candidates of criminal con- need to be mentioned owing to Grillo’s coup de tion that emerged thanks to the investigations of victed politicians and to limit the membership of theatre: he decided to launch the campaign by magistrates. the parliament to two terms in office. landing in Sicily through the sea, swimming in the After Craxi’s escape to Hammamet, the Italian po- Strait of Messina. It was what he called the third litical context witnessed the rise of former Craxi’s liberation of Sicily after Garibaldi in 1860 and the protégé Silvio Berlusconi, who won the 1994 elec- Allied Forces in 1943. It was a sort of dress re- tions. Berlusconi’s success inaugurated a period In Italy (…) M5S tried to hearsal before the 2013 elections of the Italian of strong dualism, which was structured on the establish a clear political Parliament, which Grillo wanted to open from dichotomy Left/Right and the existence of two dif- strategy: to be a new political within, as a can of tuna fish. ferent and coalitions according to a majority elec- force with no connections The political message of the movement was toral system. based on some key-principles: there is no dif- During those years, Grillo had practically disap- with the historical categories ference between Italian Left and Right as both peared and used to work just in the theatres of Left and Right. proved to be “incapable” to fight corruption (if where his exhibitions started to approach politi- not direct accomplices of illicit private interests); cal, social and economic subjects. Grillo’s life the individual political engagement of the candi- changed after meeting Casaleggio, who convinced Thanks to the signature of 336,000 people, by far dates should be limited and being a politician him of the potentiality of the web and converted exceeding the 50,000 required for the filing of a should not be a profession, just a civic endeavour; Grillo, who destroyed computers in his exhibi- law of popular initiative, the first legal proposal of the press is completely in the hands of the politi- tions, into a sincere devout of the web. Grillo’s meetups was officially delivered to the cal elites and is no more trustworthy, while in the Grillo opened a blog (beppegrillo.it) that be- Prime Minister Roman Prodi but was never dis- digital world everyone is free to access to every came the meeting point of people dissatisfied cussed by the . kind of information and to participate to the with the political and economic course of Italy In 2009, Grillo and the local civic movements as- political debate. and was well-known also at a global level, join- sembled around his blog supported the election The vision of the was quite criti- ing the interventions of scholars such as Joseph of some independent candidates to the European cal, especially towards the monetary system, and a Stiglitz or criticizing , pol- Parliament, Luigi de Magistris and Sonia Alfano, particular insistence emerged when denouncing lution, international finance, political corruption and elected their first communal councillors in the fact that no referendum had been held regard- and in general the lack of a sustainable strategy some municipalities of Emilia Romagna. ing Italy’s adhesion to the monetary union. But of development. In the same period, Grillo theatrically tried to join the movement’s position towards the EU cannot This blog contained vicious attacks against Italian the (PD) in order to candidate be defined as totally euro-sceptical. As stressed by politicians: Silvio Berlusconi was labelled as the himself to the primaries and spread his political Corbetta and Vignati, the approach towards Eu- psycho-dwarf (psiconano) or asphalt head (testa program through a mass party that he openly crit- rope is quite peculiar and contradictory and, d’asfalto, owing to the aspect of his hair after icized and wanted to reform radically. Grillo’s though featuring some affinities, cannot be ana- reconstructive surgery), who was membership was obviously refused and Piero lysed as an expression of nationalist euro-sceptical called the “breadstick” (grissino) due to his aspect, Fassino, a leader of the Democratic Party, accused tendencies, as in other European countries.4 was mortadella (after a sort of Grillo for his hostility and lack of seriousness.1 The 2013 national elections registered the great ham of his same region of provenience), Pierluigi In September 2009, with his friend Gi- unexpected triumph of M5S. The candidates were Bersani was Gargamella (the evil wizard of the anroberto Casaleggio, Grillo consequently an- chosen through online primaries by a limited cartoon Les Schtroumpfs), while recently Renzi nounced the birth of the Five Star Movement number of activists and the reduced numbers of was attacked as the “little idiot from ” (M5S). The five stars representing the targets of the votes in these primaries was used by the other par- (ebetino di Firenze). movement were: public water, sustainable mobili- ties to ridicule the M5S deputies, who were all

36 substantially alien to politics. The M5S obtained in 2016, when two M5S and Chiara to Southern Italy and the M5S became the first almost nine million votes and elected 108 depu- Appendino were elected as mayors in and political party in Italy (32%). However, owing to the ties and 54 senators. In March 2013, . electoral law that had been hastily approved in was elected Vice President of the Chamber and On that occasion, Grillo appeared at the window 2017, there was not a clear majority in the cham- became the youngest vice president of that house. of his hotel room showing a coat hook, in Italian bers and Italy precipitated in the chaotic situation The hostility and contempt of the institutions an appendino (as the new mayor of Turin), while of today. were clear and Grillo’s supporters were called M5S supporters and Italian alternative press ridi- Once again, M5S proved its “ideological flexibili- grillini, emphasizing their lack of political expe- culed once again Piero Fassino. ty” and showed to make no distinctions between rience, and were consequently treated as dumb As reminded by , with his usual Left and Right. The draft of a political contract obedient serfs of the comedian and his acolyte subtle sarcasm, Fassino’s prophecies proved to was proposed both to Salvini’s Lega and to the Casaleggio. When asked what he was thinking be lethal for his own Democratic Party (PD).9 Democratic Party. The latter seemed reluctant about the boom of the M5S, the President of the In 2009, when Grillo tried to participate to the PD and, though the existence of an anti-Renzi faction, Republic Giorgio Napolitano answered that he primaries, Fassino commented on: “If Grillo obediently followed Renzi’s plan while Berlusco- heard no boom. But the fact that a single move- wants to come into politics, why does he not create ni reluctantly let Lega and M5S finally begin a bi- ment composed of some unexperienced people a party and let’s see how many votes he gains”. lateral dialogue towards the draft of a contract, with no funds, no TV participation, no official In May 2015, when Fassino was the mayor of that was finally presented in May 2018. The birth press agents, succeeded in gaining 25% of the Turin, he replied to the critics of the councillor of a Lega-M5S government, anyway, met with votes at their first general election (challenging : “sit down on this chair and ’s (the President of the Republic) the leftist and rightists coalitions) was undoubted- let’s if you are able to do what you wish: the refusal to appoint professor as minis- ly a point of no return in the Italian political electors will decide”! ter of economy, owing to his critical approach scenario.5 Fassino’s prophecies are significant in order to un- towards the European policies and to an alleged The change was clear during the public meeting derstand the reasons of grillini’s unstoppable rise. veto coming from Bruxelles and . n between the delegations of M5S and PD, when The inability to understand a substantial part of the Bersani’s request for the M5S support to his gov- Italian population was only partially compensated ernment was radically and, once again theatrically, by the appeal of a new young leader who promised Notas 1 “Pd, Grillo annuncia: Prendo la tessera. Ma il Pd dice no: Non rejected. Another innovative aspect was the fact to change everything, , who in 2014 ha i requisiti”. Repubblica, July 13, 2009. that M5S deputies and senators were obliged to European elections led PD to 40%. But Renzi’s 2 G. Casaleggio, Web ergo sum, Sperling & Kupfer, Milano 2004, give back to a bank account the excess of their support gradually decreased owing to the renewed pp. 23-25. 3 Simone Natale-Andrea Ballatore, “The web will kill them all: salary and indemnities, and these sums were agreement with Silvio Berlusconi, the scandals re- new media, digital utopia, and political struggle in the Italian destined to sustain micro-credit initiatives in favour garding the banking system, the perception of his 5-Star Movement”, Media, Culture & Society, vol. 36, issue 1, of small enterprises. ministers as a sort of small clique from Florence 2014, pp. 105-121. 4 Since the beginning, a critical point of the move- and, last but not least, the radical reform of the P. Corbetta-R. Viganti, “Direct Democracy and Scapegoats: The Five Star Movement and Europe”, The International ment was the lack of a statute (non-statuto) and constitution that was rejected in the 2016 referen- Spectator, vol. 49, 2014, issue 1, pp. 53-64. the traditional sees where to hold political de- dum. On that occasion, Renzi presented his reform 5 The following table does not take in consideration the data of bates and decide the political strategy of the “par- as a matter of life and death and publicly promised two autonomous regions, Valle d’Aosta and -Alto Adige. 6 R. Vignati, “The Organization of the Movimento 5 stelle: ty”. This “Contradictory Party Model”, as it was to retire from politics in case of failure. A Contradictory Party Model”, in F. Tronconi (ed.), Beppe defined by Rinaldo Vignati, was evident when a It should be said that during these years, though Grillo’s Five Star Movement. Organisation, Communication part of the deputies and senators questioned the carrying out a radical and fierce opposition with and Ideology, Farnham, Ashgate, 2015, pp. 29-52. 7 refusal to cooperate with Bersani’s PD.6 They were some theatrical events, the strategy of M5S began P. Ceri-F. Veltri, Il Movimento nella rete: Storia e struttura del Movimento a 5 stelle, Torino, Rosenberg & Sellier, 2017, p. 246. simply expelled according to various motivations to change and a more moderate approach 8 L. Manucci-M. Amsler, “Where the wind blows: Five Star but generally on the ground that the M5S political emerged. The M5S showed two different sides of Movement’s populism, direct democracy and ideological strategy has always denied any cooperation or the coin: on the one side, ’s flexibility”, Italian Political Science Review, vol. 48, issue 1, agreements with other parties. The phenomenon anger and radicalism, on the other, Luigi di Maio’s March 2018, pp. 109-132. 9 M. Travaglio, “Fassino, l’ultima profezia”, , of the expulsions had substantial proportions. In composedness. November 15, 2017. less than two years, the parliamentary groups lost At the same time, the movement deepened its digi- 18 out of 54 senators and 17 out of 109 deputies.7 tal dimension through creating a web platform Referências R. Biorcio-P. Natale, Politica a cinque stelle, Milano, Feltrinelli, In 2014, the strangeness of M5S resulted once where to discuss and vote the legal proposals 2013. again during the phase of affiliation to the great (rousseau.movimento5stelle.it/main.php) and finally R. Caracci, Il ruggito del Grillo, Bergamo, Moretti, 2013. political groups of the . The separated the total coincidence with its founder G. Casaleggio, Web ergo sum, Milano, Sperling & Kupfer, 2004. choice was basically oriented towards two very Beppe Grillo, creating a new site (ilblogdellestelle.it) P. Ceri-F. Veltri, Il Movimento nella rete: Storia e struttura del Movimento a 5 stelle, Rosenberg & Sellier, 2017. different groups: the -European Free Alli- and abandoning beppegrillo.it. P. Corbetta-R. Vignati, “Direct Democracy and Scapegoats: The ance and the Europe of Freedom and Direct Though this partial change of course, the move- Five Star Movement and Europe”, The International Spectator, Democracy, with the latter resulting as the final ment maintained its uniqueness under other vol. 49, 2014, issue 1. D. Fo-B. Grillo-G. Casaleggio, Il Grillo canta sempre al tramonto, destination of M5S European deputies. points of view: the rigid affiliation of its candi- Milano, Chiarelettere, 2013. In Italy, after the birth of a government composed dates, who had to sign a special agreement estab- B. Grillo, Tutte le battaglie di Beppe Grillo, Milano, Casaleggio by two historical arch-enemies, the democrats and lishing a fee in the case they changed party once Associati 2007. Silvio Berlusconi, M5S tried to establish a clear elected, the critics to the European Union, which L. Lanzone-D. Woods, “Riding the Populist Web: Contextualizing the Five Star Movement in Italy”, Politics and Governance, political strategy: to be a new political force with anyway have been substantially revised, or the re- 2015, vol. 3, issue 2, pp. 54-64. no connections with the historical categories of fusal to be part of political alliances and in fact, L. Manucci-M. Amsler, “Where the wind blows: Five Star Left and Right, showing to adapt the principle to M5S run for the 2018 elections alone. Movement’s populism, direct democracy and ideological flexibility”, Italian Political Science Review, vol. 48, issue 1, direct democracy to a more pragmatic and flexible The M5S pet subject for the 2018 elections was rep- March 2018, pp.109-132. 8 approach. resented by the minimum income for citizens (red- F. Mello, Il lato oscuro delle stelle. La dittatura digitale di Grillo The results were not always satisfactory: in the dito di cittadinanza), which contributed to its e Casaleggio. Testimonianze, documenti e retroscena inediti, 2014 European elections M5S scored 21%, in the great success, especially in the depressed regions of Reggio Emilia, Imprimatur, 2013. Filippo Tronconi (ed. by) Beppe Grillo’s Five Star Movement: 2015 administrative elections the results were South Italy, where the movement obtained almost Organisation, Communication and Ideology, Ashgate, limited, while the real success was registered only 50% of the votes. But the success was not confined Farnham, 2015.

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