The undemocratic and very hypocritical hunt for the “liberals” of Provenzano & Co.

Looking at the topic, let’s start with a disclosure: Carlo Stagnaro is a newspaper columnist.

Following the news of the appointment of a group of economists (Carlo Cambini, Francesco Filipucci, Cristina Maltese, Marco Percoco, Ricardo Puglisi, Silvia Scosze and the aforementioned Stagnaro) to the technical framework To evaluate the investment impact of NRP and help municipalities on projects, an aggressive social media campaign has begun. focused on attack names carlo stagnaro, Director of Research at the Bruno Leoni Institute (IBL), E ricardo puglisi, professor of political economy at the University of Pavia, as he is accused of being “liberal”. This is one of those flare-ups that occur on social networks every few days, as happened at the time of the departure of the Draghi government. “Caso McKinsey” (Who remembers this?)

So it would not be worth discussing, if not for some critical reactions from the Democratic Party. Deputy Secretary Pepe Provenzano attacked the appointment of Puglisi and Stagnaro: “to coordinate and evaluate economic policy in the biggest season of public investment”. Is it fair to call ultra-liberals?” The former minister said: “But updated, if not the readings, columns of some councilors in Chigi?”. Provenzano’s invitation is genuine, given that that column coincides with his, for at least two appointments: Sylvia Scosze was his cabinet chief for ministry to the south; Christina Maltese She is an exponent of the Roman Democratic Party and a former ally of Mef. Roberto Gualtieri. Provenzano struggles to understand Draghi government is not a color PD PDespite the fact that in this case two more “political” appointments are linked to his party.

Another criticism coming from the same stream of Provenzano, the former economic manager of the Democratic Party. Emanuel Felice According to which there is a “big problem” with Stagnaro’s appointment: “The financiers of the Bruno Leoni Institute are not known. The potential conflict of interest with the PNRR schemes, which transfer tens of billions of euros, is very serious”. Felice. quotes an article from Tomorrow which raises the issue of the IBL’s influence in Palazzo Chigi where it already has a role Serena Cileoni, but in which the roles of both Stagnaro, who is not the “director”, and Ciellioni, who is not the “president”, have been incorrectly reported (the president of the IBL is franco debenedetti, brother of yesterday’s publisher). In any case, Stagnaro’s appointment does not appear to have a conflict of interest, as the working group to which he belongs has no effect on the allocation of resources: He cannot in any way decide to whom or what to give or what not to give. It will only assess the impact of the investment.

But the arguments of members of the Democratic Party on the conflict of interest are curious. When there is no opposition to the Prime Minister’s Economic Adviser conte, so with a more important role, it was Members of Enel’s Board of Directors such as Mariana Mazukato. not to mention the head of Paola Pisano, Advisor to the Casalgio Associati Innovation Minister. To give his argument at least a sense and dignity, Felice must extend it to all foundations whose financiers are less known than the IBL, and personalities with a political role more relevant than a technician who analyzes influence. Huh. For example, the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza and its main secretariat Massimo Paolucci they are part of the foundation ItalianEuropei by Massimo D’Alema, which almost mixed the government with working Chinese fans. Have you been asked for information on Italian European financiers? Is the potential conflict of interest “huge” here too? Who knows. Similar speech for the Under Secretary for the Economy Maria Cecilia Guerraunion member Nance by Vincenzo Visco. and what aboutareel by Enrico Letta? Did Felice ask her secretary to publish the names of the lenders?

Accusations and counter-allegations on a subject that has never been a problem, even for more important political and institutional positions, are evident. The Democratic Party could legitimately ask for heads of technicians who have different views to demand that more biological or similar personalities go in their place. But at least say it openly, without hypocrisy, while maintaining intellectual honesty.

• luciano capone
  

• He grew up in Irpinia, in Savignano. Studied at Milan, Catholic University. Freelancer by training, journalist by distortion. Al Foglio first as a reader, then as an associate and finally as an editor. I am mainly concerned with economics, but also with politics, surveys, culture, various and potential