US embassy cable - 05ROME3290

C O N F I D E N T I A L  ROME 003290 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, EFIN, IT, ITALY NATIONAL ELECTIONS, ITALIAN POLITICS 
SUBJECT: ITALY:  AMBASSADOR'S LUNCH WITH CENTER-RIGHT 
SENATORS 
 
REF: ROME 3276 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Ronald Spogli for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: The Ambassador met September 28 with the four 
center-right Senate caucus chairmen.  They discussed the 
evolution of the Northern League as a responsible coalition 
partner, and the Christian Democrats of the Center (UCD) 
senator spoke positively about "devolution."   All were 
relatively concerned about their chances of winning next 
year's general elections, saying the Euro had hurt the 
typical Italian's purchasing power.  The Forza Italia (FI) 
senator said the electoral debate has to be about "values" 
for the center-right to win. They expressed concern about 
rising anti-Americanism in Europe and worried openly about 
probable center-left candidate Romano Prodi's EU-centric 
perspective.  They said the U.S. must help the center-right 
in Europe in order to act as a counterbalance to this 
anti-Americanism.  They believe Italy is positioned on the 
frontier of the battle against extremist Islam and encouraged 
us to work with them as such.  The FI senator spoke 
approvingly of the Broader Middle East and North Africa 
(BMENA) initiative. END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (U) The Ambassador hosted lunch September 28 for the 
Senate Caucus Chairmen from the Center-Right coalition. 
Renato Schifiani (Forza Italia), Domenico Nania (National 
Alliance), Ettore Pirovano (Northern League) and Francesco 
D'Onofrio (Christian Democrats of the Center) attended.  The 
Ambassador was accompanied by Political Minister Counselor, 
Poloff and POL FSN. 
 
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THE NORTHERN LEAGUE, DEVOLUTION AND A SINGLE PARTY 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
3. (C) D'Onofrio opened the conversation by praising the 
constructive approach that the Northern League has taken to 
working in the legislature.  He noted "la Lega" is not really 
a party, but rather a movement that began by calling for 
separation of the North from the rest of Italy.  He said the 
Lega leadership has transformed itself and worked responsibly 
as a member of the government and that the other coalition 
partners understand the Lega needs to "exaggerate and scream 
loudly" periodically in order to reassure its base. Pirovano 
thanked his colleague and freely admitted that the Lega 
sometimes needs to reassure "racist" elements of its 
electorate. Both Pirovano and D'Onofrio agreed that a single 
center-right party would be difficult for the Lega to accept 
since it has a regional base. 
 
4. (C) D'Onofrio, who is from the southern city of Salerno, 
commented that his view on the Lega and "devolution" might 
differ from that of his party.  However, he said he does not 
see devolution as a threat to the interests of the South.  He 
described Italy as a relatively new democracy and often 
parochial.  The Italian State historically centralized power 
in Rome as a way to unify Italy as a country.  Devolution, or 
an Italian version of federalism, would never resemble 
federalism in the United States, but the regions would gain 
more authorities as a result of the Lega's proposal. 
 
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ELECTIONS, VALUES, AND THE POLITICAL CIRCUS 
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5. (C) The four Senators were generally pessimistic about the 
center-right's chances of being re-elected in next spring's 
general elections.  Schifiani painted the bravest face, 
saying he thought Berlusconi could still win.  He said the 
the average Italian's purchasing power has declined during 
the Berlusconi administration because of slow economic 
growth, but especially because of the introduction of the 
Euro. The center-left will constantly repeat the "fourth 
week" refrain, the expression used locally to refer to the 
fact that families do not have enough income to cover 
expenses through the fourth week of each month. 
 
6. (C) Schifiani said the center-right would have to run a 
"values-based" campaign and that the center-left was out of 
sync with the values of the typical Italian, who does not 
favor homosexual unions (PACs) and other "Zapatero social 
policies." Pirovano agreed, but said the center-right has not 
been able to capitalize on the opportunity the PACs issue has 
offered because of coalition infighting, which has dominated 
the press in recent weeks.  Looking at D'Onofrio, Pirovano 
said, "If we want to win on values we need to stop pushing 
for electoral reform."  Schifiani quickly dismissed electoral 
reform as something that will not happen. D'Onofrio, whose 
UDC party most strongly supports electoral reform, had 
earlier spoken positively and optimistically about the 
proposed legislation. 
 
7. (C) Schifiani said the recently introduced federal budget 
is an attempt to blunt the effects of the Italian's loss of 
purchasing power.  He said the government had no choice but 
to introduce a "social" budget.  He then defended that tactic 
by stating the center-left would have introduced an even more 
political budget were they in power. 
 
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ANTI-AMERICANISM, THE EUROPEAN LEFT AND PRODI 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
8. (C) All four senators were disturbed by what they 
perceived as growing anti-Americanism in Europe, which has 
found a political home in the European left.  Both Nania and 
Schifiani believed that with the collapse of communism, and 
the collapse of Washington-Moscow tensions, a new tension has 
arisen between Washington and Europe.  Nania said social 
democracy has replaced communism as a competitive philosophy 
to U.S-style capitalism and its accompanying values. They 
strongly encouraged us to work with the European center-right 
to counter growing anti-American sentiment. 
 
9. (C) D'Onofrio said that probable center-left candidate 
Romano Prodi had returned EU-centric from five years as 
European Commission President.  Schifiani added that Prodi 
had moved to the left, as well.  Under Berlusconi, Italy had 
for the first time developed an independent foreign policy. 
They spoke proudly of Italy's term as EU President and its 
positive role in the Arab-Israeli peace process.  They feared 
Prodi would subordinate Italy's interests to those of the EU. 
 
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WORKING IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA 
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10. (C) Describing Iraq as an issue that polarized popular 
opposition to U.S. policies in Europe, the Middle East, and 
North Africa, the senators said the U.S. should use Italy as 
a tool to reach the Arab world.  They said that whereas 
Germany stood on the frontier of the West during the Cold 
War, Italy, with its strategic position in the Mediterranean, 
is the new frontier in the battle against Islamic extremism. 
Referring specifically to the Broader Middle East and North 
Africa (BMENA) initiative, Schifiani said Italy should be a 
close ally in that effort.  The senators added that the 
European center-right needs to show their publics that being 
pro-American means more than doing what the U.S wants; that 
it also means engaging positively on shared values of 
democracy and development. 
 
11. COMMENT: The Senators' pessimistic tone reflected 
comments made earlier in the day by Senate President Marcello 
Pera (REFTEL).  Like Pera, they consistently referred to the 
need for the U.S. to do something in Europe to help the 
center-right.  END COMMENT. 
SPOGLI 
 
 
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	2005ROME03290 - Classification: CONFIDENTIAL