[War] Italy: Midway Upon the Road of Our Life

[Dan Garcia]

"Italy:  Midway Upon the Road of Our Life"
Prime Minister Lazaro Magnano
Italian Republic
20 January 2013

The sirens wailed as Lazaro clutched his wife Frances as the life drained out of her.  The sirens were loud.

The sirens weren't sirens.

Lazaro opened his eyes as the alarm clock continued to blare.  He laid there, staring at the ceiling, mentally shifting past the events of just over a year ago and pushing towards the present, towards wakefulness.  After about a minute, he sat up, and began to prepare for the day.  Half an hour later he was behind his desk, reading the various news clippings and briefings which had been collated overnight to get him prepared for his day.

After a while there was a knock on the door, and after a moment Giulio Amici, Undersecretary of State to the Prime Minister and Secretary of the Council of Ministers, and not coincidentally Lazaro's chief assistant, entered.  He was a shortish, stocky man with a smile never far from his face, and indeed he was wearing one now.  Lazaro's own face lightened noticeably at that.

"The fires are out my friend," Giulio said, dropping himself unceremoniously in a chair.

"That's good to hear," Lazaro said impassively, shoveling another spoonful of cereal into his mouth.  "Despite his reputation, Tartaglia wasn't an incompetent politician, and he had a good amount of support."

"You sure it was wise giving him the Foreign Affairs portfolio," Giulio asked with a sideways glance.

"It's never any good antagonizing people if you don't really have to," Lazaro said, still eating.  He then gestured with his spoon.  "It's better to have Tartaglia part of the team, to have him invested in the Government instead of being outside it and thus scheming against it.  Besides, he makes for a good face for Italy in foreign affairs.  I think he'll do good with the Foreign Affairs Ministry."

Giulio nodded, not entirely convinced.  But he then smiled.  It wasn't his place to argue, nor his problem if it went badly.

"Ah, but there's still the, as the Americans put it, elephant in the room.  Berlusconi may be old, he may be down on his fortunes, but he's still rich, he's still living well, and he's still quite influential," Giulio pointed out.  Berlusconi hadn't simply disappeared after his removal from the Premiership several months ago.  He had been marshaling his forces and rebuilding his reputation and influence.  He hadn't managed to be Prime Minister four times, including for one full Parliamentary term, without being quite resilient politically.  The past month and a half since the election and the slow formation of the new government had seen whispering along the sidelines about what Berlusconi would do.  Or what whoever became Prime Minister would have to do about Berlusconi.

"I've had some thoughts about that," Lazaro said, looking thoughtful.  Giulio waited for a continuation before gesturing humorously for Lazaro to continue.

"Well, it occurs to me that the next Presidential election is coming soon," Lazaro started.  "What better way to honor our old warhorse than to promote him?"

Giulio laughed at what Lazaro proposed.  He wasn't sure which was funnier:  the suggestion, or the seriousness with which Lazaro proposed it.  "The Democrats and their allies will never go for it.  For that matter, neither may our own coalition," Giulio said, still laughing.

"I don't know about that," Lazaro said, now finished with his breakfast.  "The Presidency is a largely ceremonial position.  In general, yes, people prefer someone more honorable in that office.  But Berlusconi has been in the past, and could still be going forward, a potent player.  I think people on both sides of the aisle can be made to see the benefit of gently nudging him out of the scene.  Or not, we shall see."



ACTIONS:

1)  Introduction.

2)  Discuss Berlusconi internally.  Very hush-hush.