There, everything is permitted, everything can be bought, and it's worth
spending without thinking, and if you run out of money, one morningyou'll find yourself on the other side of the window (Edoardo Bennato,
"My Name is Franz", 1976)
GROUNDHOTS
We're back in the regional elections. As the comedian from Gialappa's
would say, "it seems like yesterday, but it's today."
As in the 1993 film starring Bil Murray[1], Eugenio Giani returns to the
starting line for Tuscany.
With a diverse alliance that sees people at the same table who,
theoretically, shouldn't share any common ground.
But, they say, electoral law dictates these choices. Electoral laws,
however, aren't written by the Holy Spirit, and the Tuscany Region's is
one of the most anti-democratic ever seen.[2]
PAPER GAMES?[3]
Who knows how many of the citizens who will vote are aware that their
mark on the ballot, besides remaining the last testimony of "political
activity," doesn't even have the meaning they intended it to have.
Between barriers, blocked lists, majoritarianism. Twenty years ago,
Colin Crouch wrote a partially dystopian but ultimately optimistic text:
"Postdemocracy"[4], which outlined the path taken by Western democracies
in recent decades, where democratic forms had been hollowed out from
within, leaving the shell apparently intact. Looking at the current
situation, it seems we've moved into a phase where even the external
forms are being digested within a substantially ademocratic process.
DEMOCRACY AT BAR
Anyone wishing to participate in elections as a candidate without
affiliation now has to navigate a bureaucratic process completely devoid
of any democratic aspect. An exorbitant number of signatures (which does
not apply to groups already present in the Region) and then pass the 5%
threshold. I would just like to point out that these aspects, which
limit citizen representation, would be unconstitutional. The Italian
electoral system has remained tied to proportional representation until
the desire to wipe out participation was felt. Since the 1990s, the
major newspapers sponsoring their masters, under the guise of an attack
on "party politics," have encouraged a veritable white coup that would
bring our country into line with the now-dominant neoliberal diktats.
Furthermore, with the amendments to Title V, each Region is free to do
as it pleases, evidently approving electoral laws for its own benefit.
NO ENEMIES ON THE LEFT...
The previous mandate, the one that came after the Rossi presidency,
stemmed from one of the biggest scandals to have occurred in Italy in
recent years. Namely, the burial of the Keu under the new 429
(inaugurated with great fanfare by the mayors of the metropolitan city),
which would replace the old route, maintaining virtually the same level
of danger (two lanes, no central reservation, etc.). This affair, to
which, truth be told, the local press gave little coverage (considering
its gravity) and the right-wing "opposition" remained virtually silent,
had involved mayors, businesses, and the 'Ndrangheta. The Region itself,
through the then Prime Minister Giani (as the case may be), had smuggled
through "under the table" (and without going through the committees) the
amendment that was supposed to exempt the Aquarno consortium, which
manages the Santa Croce sull'Arno wastewater treatment plant, from the
obligation to undergo the environmental integration authorization (AIA)
procedure, effectively allowing tanners to dispose of production cycle
wastewater outside of the regulations (here's the video
https://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/cronaca/21_aprile_24/inchiesta-concerie-balletto-giani-sull-evoluzione-tutto-regolare-era-qui-fin-dall-inizio-4efcf5e6-a540-11eb-9fae-9359a7b19c22.shtml).
Given that on that occasion, Councilor Tommaso Fattori, despite being
utterly impotent in practice, had nevertheless worked assiduously and
productively, for the 2020 elections it was decided to create a
veritable decoy list, "Sinistra Civica Ecologista," invented by Rossi's
jack-of-all-trades Ledo Gori. In this way, many citizens, convinced they
were voting for a left-wing list, voted for one supporting Giani (in
exchange for a social affairs department post).
...BUT MANY INDIFFERENT TO THE RIGHT
Thus, during Giani's first term, no left-wing opposition was present in
the Region. And, as is well known, the right, beyond the usual
parafascist antics, is not far removed from Giani's vision of regional
government.
Also because its representatives know full well that the Democratic
Party is a formidable guarantor for the ruling classes.
THE BLACK MAN AGAIN?
After the agreement with the Five Star Movement (which, given their
specific structure, could ultimately really piss off Giani much more
than the opposition), the left-wing lists preparing to run (for now
"Toscana Rossa" and the reborn "PCI") not only have no chance of passing
the threshold, but also risk not collecting the necessary signatures. So
much so that one wonders whether it's worth it, for poorly structured
and resource-poor organizations, to throw themselves into such a huge
effort that, as often happens, risks leaving behind a desert,
recriminations, and all the bile of the defeated. But does participating
in elections, given these blatantly anti-democratic electoral systems,
sacrificing concrete political work, really make any sense?
As for the "left-wing" army that will emerge (some Democratic Party
member with liver problems has labeled him "Brancaleone," but
Brancaleone was a loser; even if they ran with their 90-year-old aunt as
their candidate, they'd easily find supporters. The Democratic Party's
herd, though in crisis-but it would be in crisis if it were a party-is
still enormous and well-secured. From this perspective, hats off. It's
not exactly Gramscian hegemony, but we can say it's hegemony
nonetheless. As for this group, I was saying, what will the omnipresent
Giani's communication strategy be? Will they once again raise the
"fascist threat" to unite their followers?
IT ALL NEEDS TO BE DONE AGAIN
As you know, we've never been much for electoral alchemy, but we must
also be aware that, since we don't live in a society that's neither
anarchic nor communist, we must take the bull by the horns and defend
what we have...
That is, the fundamental struggle to be waged, at all levels, would be a
great battle for proportional representation, to elect Parliament, the
Regions, and the Municipalities. To escape from this plebiscitary and
authoritarian trap into which we've been trapped for more than thirty
years, which coincides with the darkest period in the history of capitalism.
Globalization is over, the EU has imploded. We know that revolution is
neither around the corner nor in sight. We have ruling classes that,
like the Japanese soldier (although paid much better), still believe
they're in the 2000s.
Also because behind and above them lies a ruling class that, instead,
has always known full well what its own interests were. So much so that
they had been predicting it as early as 1975
(https://contropiano.org/documenti/2014/05/27/la-crisi-della-democrazia-di-ieri-per-capire-quella-di-oggi-uno-sguardo-sulla-commissione-trilaterale-024244).
FINAL
In any case, although the work of presenting the left-wing lists
presents the enormous difficulties we described above, we hope with the
optimism of will that the result will at least allow for a dissenting
voice in the Regional Council, at least one.
[1]"Groundhog Day" is the name given to the day of the Groundhog, poorly
translated into Italian with the very ugly title "Ricomincio da capo".
[2]For a brief overview, obviously only for a very initial approach:
https://ilreporter.it/sezioni/cronaca-e-politica/listino-bloccato-legge-elettorale-toscana/
[3]"Paper games" was Mussolini's definition of elections. As a dictator,
he abolished elections with authoritarian laws. Authoritarianism is not
needed today. Stop telling the nonsense about "governance."
[4]C. Crouch, "Postdemocracy," Laterza, 2005.
Andrea Bellucci
https://www.ucadi.org/2025/09/04/il-giorno-della-marmotta-toscana/
_________________________________________
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