WTI Magazine #13    2014 Jan, 17
Author : Francesca Papasergi      Translation by:

Last Saturday, The New York Times' columnist Frank Bruni started his op-ed with a millennial attitude's perfect sum. "Politics boils down to three pronouns: I, you, we. The politician who has them in balance goes a long way". I am not going to portrait Mr. Christie's alleged bad temper like Mr. Bruni did, but the "bully" description also fits the leader of the Italian party I'm introducing today. 

Giuseppe Piero "Beppe" Grillo, born and raised in the Genoa area, formerly known as a comedian, is the front side of the Five Stars Movement's undisputed head diarchy. Gianroberto Casaleggio, the ideologist, is renowned as bashful person.

Since his blog's first appearance – it was 2005 - Mr. Grillo tried to act like a catalyst, concentrating citizens' complaints, ideas and demands in his speeches and posts. In 2007 and 2008 he called his activists for two great public happenings, the V-Days, and in both cases people could sign petitions, go on stage, send videos. This is Mr. Grillo and Mr. Casaleggio's greatest intuition: if politics is meant to work for everyone, supposedly everyone can be part of it, involving themselves in what used to be professional politicians' realm. "We" (the politicians) are "you" (the people), and you can trust us.

The Five Stars Movement was established in 2009 and last February its representatives entered the Italian Parliament for the first time, with the aim to "open it like a tin of tuna". The Democratic Party won thanks to foreign districts, but the 5SM is the most voted party in the country. 2013's general elections are considered the highest peak of antipolitics in Italy, reached because of crisis' effects and scattered, heavy discontent. The 5SM's representatives were selected by the blog's online ballot system, which was not nearly as successful as the blogger imagined.

Opponents and journalists often criticize Mr. Grillo: his language is always provocative, his proposals drastic. He promoted non-experienced people rise the political rank, and they did it so rapidly the majority of them barely seem to get what is going on at Palazzo Montecitorio. Their lack of preparation derives from a non-existent training, and it can compromise many of their more-than-laudable purposes to clean up Italian politics. They are said to depend on Mr. Grillo's orders, but they proved they can decide for themselves, like they did about the immigration issue. They have good will, but we all know that even the road to hell is paved with good intentions. They need to enfranchise themselves from Mr. Grillo's influence and demonstrate they can be reelected - and, most of all, be effective - balancing or cutting out the big "I" of a leader he is. If they keep relying on Mr. Grillo, they risk to be life-long tied to his dominant figure and they could encounter a large-scale popularity downturn.

Did they change Italy as promised? No, they didn't, not so far, but it's been just one year. Maybe the question should be different: can Italy become like the 5SM would like it to be? In my opinion it is pretty unlikely, at least in this life, given these premises, but if they'll ever win we'll see. Can they grow better? Of course they can. They need to learn, but it takes time, open mind, courage, humility and a lot of study. They are just taking the first class, and it is quite hard: politics should be intended for the good of a community, but it doesn't mean that everyone can be a politician because they are part of it. Italy is not a small village. Its politics need skilled, smart people, and skills come with study and experience. You can't draw them out of a blog.