Rarely in Rome and a move has kept the Italian press in suspense. It must be said that the "tenant" outgoing is not anyone. At the age of 83, Silvio Berlusconi made his boxes and leaves the gilding of the palazzo Grazioli, in the heart of Rome. A quasi-monument to the heritage of Italian politics that, for a quarter of a century, married the ups and downs of the career of the " Cavaliere ", becoming in turn the HQ of the opposition and quasi-" official seat of power " during the passage of the Milanese to the presidency of the Council.
A departure for a story of under, reports the daily roman newspaper, Il Messaggero. The monthly rent of the palace of the Sixteenth century, a ten-minute walk of the Senate and of the Chamber of deputies, is salty and would be close to 40 000 euros. As the leader of Forza Italia would not have been seen for a long time, preferring the quiet of the Côte d'azur for its containment Covid-19, or its famous remains of lombardy at Monza (where he is also the owner of a football team). In the two floors of the palace Grazioli, they do interbreed today more than a handful of secretaries and a chauffeur, describe the Italian media.
Evenings bunga-bunga
It is so far short of the boom years, remember the chroniclers policies, where the reporters were camped in front of the roman building looking for any input or output. Finished also the time where the dining room, dubbed " the slaughterhouse ", was full of tussles between the leaders of the party berlusconien, if écharpant on nominations, tells Il Messaggero. A palazzo where there are also succeeded by the guests of the Italian leader. A past diplomatico-residential immortalized by a photo of Vladimir Putin, throwing a ball to Dudù, the dog of Silvio Berlusconi, in the corridors of the roman remains.
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Grazioli also symbolizes the dark times of the era Berlusconi during which, between the walls of the residence berlusconienne, we organized the famous " elegant dinners ", bringing together young women by the dozens, paid for by a wealthy business man of Apulia, close to the former contractor milanese. The evenings proved to be the big day for an escort girl, Patrizia D'addario, who had recorded his meetings with the chairman of the Board, bursting the scandal.
instead of playing on the electoral strength, it now plays on the fact that he and his party are the only link between the populists and Europe.
But, between Rome and Berlusconi, the story is not yet complete. If the man leaves the centre, "beautiful but chaotic" of the Italian capital, this is only for a better way to find the quiet posh suburbs of the city. On the charming via Appia antica, the former chairman of the Board will find a "pied-à-terre" acquired twenty years ago but loaned from his friend (and former member of Forza Italia), the director florentine Franco Zeffirelli, who died in the past year. In the splendid remains, the work has already started and "Il Cavaliere," intends to settle there very soon.
A move any symbol, writes Giovanni Orsina, a political scientist at Luiss university of Rome. "Berlusconi is no longer a political leader who must be at the heart of the action. He no longer has this need to be in the center of the capital to get their hands dirty. "With his party, Forza Italia, out of breath in the national surveys (around 8 %) and lagging behind its allies of the Lega and Fratelli d'italia," Berlusconi agreed not to be a master of the political game, " says Giovanni Orsina. "But, in good pragmatic, it has adapted its strategy. Instead of playing on the electoral strength, it now plays on the fact that he and his party are the only link between the populists (Salvini and Meloni) and Europe. "
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A major advantage for the Milanese who provides him with a second life policy, analysis, a political scientist at the Luiss : "Despite a slow decline initiated in 2011, in spite of the scandals and crises, Berlusconi has always managed to be reborn from its ashes and find a role." The "Cavaliere" there is, moreover, not be forgotten in the closet, with the old cardboard boxes. Interviewed by la Repubblica about his departure from the palazzo Grazioli, a symbol of the end of an era, Berlusconi said he was amazed at the importance given to " a simple move ". And prevent : "As for me, nothing ends. "
