«I think it’s time to change Forza Italia and I think Tajani is also aware of it, to whom we all turn with great gratitude because very few believed that Forza Italia would survive a few years ago. He did it and he did it thanks to Tajani. But Forza Italia must return to being the innovative creature that Berlusconi thought of when he founded it.”
This was stated by the president of the Calabria Region and deputy national secretary of Forza Italia Roberto Occhiuto, on «Mattino 5» on Canale 5. «Forza Italia was the greatest innovation in Italian politics in recent decades. In the book – he added referring to the book he wrote, “The courage to govern” – I wonder if it is still an innovation, if it knows how to communicate like Berlusconi did, if it knows how to propose reformist, liberal flags like Berlusconi did, if it knows how to attract the best brains, in the economy, in the intellectual class of the country, if it knows how to speak to young people as Berlusconi spoke. Well perhaps it doesn’t do all these things as well today as it did in the past, when Berlusconi was there. Even on uncomfortable topics, such as civil rights, we need to have more courage. Having a more marked identity because we risk being perceived by voters, especially the younger ones, as a yellowed party, and we risk making the center-right perceived as a yellowed coalition. It’s not like that. The center-right is not a vintage coalition. He can speak to young people, he can interpret the future of this country but he must have the courage to take up some liberal, reformist, modern recipes that really make people win and govern well after winning. If we are afraid of populists, if we pursue Vannacci on his ground, I believe we are doing neither the good of the center-right nor the good of the country.”