«His name had been circulating for a while…». Stefano Zecchi, philosopher, writer, former Culture Councillor of the Municipality of Milan, is not surprised by Mario Calabresi’s entry into the race. After all, it was only a matter of time; it was just necessary to understand when the announcement would come. Certainly, the cold reception reserved by the PD leadership – with Elly Schlein at the forefront – to the son of Commissioner Luigi Calabresi, killed in 1972 by a Lotta Continua commando, is thought-provoking…
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Professor Zecchi, how do you evaluate Mario Calabresi’s decision to run in the center-left primaries in Milan?
«From an aesthetic point of view, I strongly believe in the Stockholm syndrome: this is how I explain Calabresi’s choice. He has renounced that human and cultural base that, at the time, had defended his father. All in all, it does not surprise me».
If he were to win the primaries, and then the municipal elections, would he have difficulty governing with the center-left as it is composed today?
«It depends on how the different souls of the coalition will position themselves in these primaries. If it is a real, very conflictual consultation, a total reconciliation will be difficult. If instead it is just a formality to crown Calabresi as mayoral candidate, then the atmosphere will obviously be different. Certainly, I am not 100% convinced that he will be the chosen one. As they say, I believe he has somewhat “sung and played it alone” based on personal suggestions and those close to him. It is by no means certain that his name will prevail at the polling stations».
In the case of a very heated clash during the primaries, do you think the left could split and present two candidates in the municipal elections?
«Generally, if the left splits, it loses. Also for this reason, it is very rare that it happens. I am sure they will find a compromise. Whoever wins the primaries will be the sole candidate. I know well how the municipal administration is structured: if Calabresi were to win, the risk is that he would be just a figurehead mayor. Then the real power related to the budget, urban planning, public works, and public companies would be in the hands of the parties. The municipal machine is very complex; often the mayor does not even follow through on what happens. This was seen with the urban planning mess, in the San Siro negotiation…».
In today’s left, are there still extreme factions that have never digested figures like Commissioner Luigi Calabresi?
«Certainly. In a democracy, it is essential that there is a component representing the most radical protest. It is the very essence of democracy that produces these factions of opposition to the democratic system. They care little about what the historical reality is. The problem, in my opinion, is to understand how much these factions manage to influence public opinion and culture. Their affirmation even within the city elite would be a very worrying sign».
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What space do these radical realities have within the broad Milanese camp?
«As far as I know, not much. Milan has always had a reformist tradition and its best mayors have had this approach at the administrative level. I think of the first mayors up to Gabriele Albertini and Letizia Moratti: they embodied this liberal vision, capable of integrating and not dividing. I believe that in Milan this reformist vision is still the majority; the problem is to understand who will represent it. This city lives for development and moves forward autonomously. The administration can make the path more difficult or indicate the right direction».
What does the city need?
«It needs a person, an administration, that has the foresight to rebuild the urban fabric and is up to its tradition. The problem with Milan is that its administration still believes it lives in the days of Expo. It is no coincidence that it is struggling greatly to manage the housing crisis, that it does not know how to lower the cost of living, that the Milan it has created is increasingly excluding young people and the elderly. The city must rediscover what is called the “Ambrosian spirit”: a spirit in which different social categories naturally integrate and where the cruel division between the high and the low finds no space. This is the spirit that made Milan great and that I knew through the mayors of the past».
In your opinion, what would be the right profile for the center-right?
«I am convinced that one should focus on a politician. The civic candidate should always be a secondary choice. There is a basic problem in today’s debate: the opinion of city councillors is not taken into account – or is taken into account too little. They, better than anyone else, have their finger on the pulse of the situation and know the opinion of the citizens. I will give you an example: in Venice, the center-right chose Simone Venturini, a young man with 10 years of experience in the Municipality behind him, who knew the city’s problems perfectly. Not by chance, he won the elections overwhelmingly».
