Tremonti mediated, Silvio became “a brother” for the Senatùr. Among those most moved when Silvio Berlusconi died was Umberto Bossi. In those moments, dozens of images and memories will have passed through the mind of the founder of the League of a relationship in which political rivalry and friendship were intertwined with ups and downs: “Beware of Berluskaiser”, the Senatùr said distrustfully in 1994, before becoming a regular guest at the Monday dinners in Arcore, where the Cavaliere always wanted “the Umbertone”. And in the end, “for many years” Berlusconi was “like a brother” to him.
From the 1994 agreement to the breakup
In view of the 1994 elections, Berlusconi sent a letter to Bossi to invite him to find “identity of views”. The agreement will come, “to which we are forced”, admits the Northern League member, who brings federalism and antitrust to the table and proposes a “blind trust” for the management of the assets owned by the tycoon. But only after a continuous bickering between the Knight and the Senatùr: he is “rough”, the former says; “We’ll tear him to pieces alive,” replies the second. The strange couple wins the elections, the two govern together but the relationship is still difficult. The prime minister pretends not to hear when his ally calls him Berluscaz, Forzacoso, and so on at rallies, without skimping on references to the mafia and fascism. The reconciliation comes after the “night of Arcore”, on 13 August, with the famous walk in the park of Villa San Martino and the handshake in front of the journalists, after the invitation that inaugurates a tradition of Italian politics, the Monday evening dinners in the Knight’s residence. The spell, however, does not last long.
The turnaround and years of tension
Some unedifying comments from Berlusconi were picked up by a journalist, then Rai, the finance company, the appointment of Emma Bonino as European commissioner in place of the Northern League member Francesco Speroni: a climax which in nine months led Bossi to the motion of no confidence, signed with the PPI. A liberation, for the Senatùr, “it’s time to toast”. He would later say that he regretted it. The reversal is followed by mutual accusations of betrayal. “Berlusconi is someone who doesn’t understand politics. He is instead very good at choosing TV presenters.” When a rapprochement was in sight in 1998, the two agreed on only one thing: not to eat sardines together, that is, not to meet to attempt that counter-turnaround against the Ulivo.
Tremonti’s mediation and the return of the alliance
Over the years they both understand that they have no alternatives. Giulio Tremonti acts as mediator, at the end of December 1999 there is a relaxing face-to-face meeting in a small room at Linate airport. «Berlusconi has improved», says Bossi in January 2000. A couple of months later he returns to Arcore to renew a tradition that has been interrupted for six years now. Between a dinner and a breakfast at Villa San Martino the House of Freedoms takes shape, winning the 2001 elections. There is no lack of fibrillations, but a compromise is always managed to be found. Once peace was staged on the sidelines of the funeral of Ernani Confalonieri, Fedele’s father, in the Comerio cemetery.
The last years and the definitive bond
In 2004, while Bossi was hospitalized, Berlusconi showed up unexpectedly at the abbey of Pontida, where hundreds of Northern League members prayed for the ‘boss” health at Vespers for the Sick. The two will be together in the opposition and then, in 2008, again in government. With their traditional disagreements, but increasingly united. One always wanting to have the knife on the handle, the other capable of making himself concave and convex. “You can negotiate with Berlusconi: then if he gives you his word, he keeps it”, the Northern League leader will eventually convince himself, trying to pass this experience on to Matteo Salvini. «Silvio was different from how he was described – his last tribute before the funeral at the Milan Cathedral – his principles were the beautiful, the good and the right».