The Academy of Galateo: “This is how Meloni shows the worst of the population”

Meloni and the pit stop at the bathroom, according to etiquette represents “the worst of the population”

“A fall in style, which shows the worst side of Italians”. Thus the president of the Italian Galateo Academy, Samuele Briatore, comments with Affaritaliani.it on the press conference of the prime minister interrupted by the now famous “pee break”. A media meeting already canceled twice due to unpleasant symptoms of flu and ear infections. Yet, there would have been many topics to deal with. From the ESM, to the maneuver and the European elections, from Draghi and Amato up to the recent suspension of Pozzolo from Fratelli d'Italia.

We are at the fortieth question of the long-awaited end-of-year press conference when: “Gentlemen, I have to go to the bathroom, I don't know what to do“, announces Meloni and then apologizes. “Can I have a second? What should I do, excuse me.” And she walked quickly, followed by the spokesperson Fabrizio Alfano, the leader disappears for a quick pit stop. Although the agenda was full of relevant topics, what captured the most attention and will probably remain imprinted in public memory was Giorgia Meloni's (spontaneous?) gesture of interrupting the conference to go to the bathroom.

In addition to wondering what else could have been done, and asking, to make the event more “captivating”, one wonders whether the “curtain” put up by Meloni fully reflects the rules of good conduct and – finally – of good manners, especially in light of its institutional role and the size of the event, long awaited after having been postponed twice. Empathy, genuineness and Roman dialect, recurring traits in the prime minister's public appearances, but in this case Meloni's can really be interpreted as a nice gesture or rather like one fall of “borgatara” style?. Italian Business this was asked by an expert in the sector, the president of the Italian Galateo Academy, Samuele Briatore, who considers the prime minister's exit a real “slip”.

Although some may praise the naturalness and humanity of the episode, from the point of view of bon ton, Briatore is categorical in underlining that in institutional contexts such as a press conference, the human aspect should never dominate the formal one”and such gestures are seen as unpleasant in all situationslet alone in a press conference”. According to Briatore, there are many different alternatives that Meloni could have adopted instead of “falling out of style like that”. He could have requested a break or communicated discreetly with an assistant regarding his pressing need, avoiding such a direct and personal interruption. And instead the prime minister chose the worst waywhat an institutional figure cannot “afford because the politician must not be nice, but good“, claims Briatore, according to whom today the performance aspect is worth more than the cultural one.

It is not the first time that the Prime Minister has indulged in such moments, just think of the outburst of the NATO summit in Vilnius in Lithuania, where Meloni told journalists that her feet hurt after a day in heels. Pure genuineness or communication strategy of the prime minister to be “closer” to her people? According to Briatore, good manners pay off and are especially valuable over time, “being human and empathetic does not mean doing something that is not polite. The educated politician is the one who endures“. While on the one hand the prime minister's trip to the bathroom will remain over time (and on the web), in terms of etiquette her representation, as prime minister, will not do the same. “The communication method is fundamental, especially if you are the president of the Council”. “As an institutional figure”, added Briatore, “we need to question ourselves about the type of representation that is being carried out”, therefore, according to the President of the Accademia Italiana Galateo, before interrupting everything and sneaking into the bathroom, the leader should have think carefully about the self-image he was projecting and consider whether he really was “representing the best, or the worst, of the population“.

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