In a time marked throughout the world by rebellion against institutions and in a country with a mediocre political class, with some exceptions, the president of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella (Palermo, 1941) has been chosen person of the year according to Treccani, the prestigious Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia. The head of State is the character of 2023 because “he is an interpreter of the values of the Constitution and of a united Europe, a tenacious and clear compass in the period of precariousness that we are going through” and because he embodies in this complex world “the will to build a different future.
He has also chosen it as man of the year the popular weekly 'Oggi', which dedicated to him, on the cover, the headline 'The president who unites Italy'. 'Oggi' highlights that “in an increasingly divided country, Mattarella, with his strength of moderation, has spent the year 2023 trying to unite it around our fundamental values.”
Mattarella is, by far, the most popular and loved politician by Italians. A recent survey, carried out by Demos for 'La Repubblica', indicated that 73% of citizens express “a lot of confidence” in the president. His style, simplicity and coherence have resonated with Italians, beyond their political tendencies.
In fact, Sergio Mattarella, since he was elected for his first term as Republic Presidentin February 2015, has distinguished himself for his defense of the national interest, the Constitution, public accounts, the rule of law, the balance of powers, the euro, Europe and respect for the institutions because “no one is above the law”.
A prestigious jurist, Mattarella has spent his entire life on the front line as a public servant. Five times minister, first for the Christian Democrats, in the First Republic, and then with the Democratic Party, in the Second, he has given prestige to the highest institution of the country: the presidency of the Republic. It is practically the only one that is saved from the deterioration of the institutions. As a tenant of Quirinal palace -he is the first Sicilian head of state-, he has known how to interpret the spirit of the entire nation, with a sober style and serene language.
He has distinguished himself for his defense of the Constitution, public accounts, the rule of law and the balance of powers.
Without a doubt, its two compasses have been the Constitution and Europe. Within the strategy of his mandate, the entry into the constitutional path of currents born outside the political system, such as the 5 Star Movement, stands out. And sometimes he did it with great firmness. For example, to the first populist and sovereignist Government chaired by Giuseppe Contein 2018, made him see that he would not admit that the third economy of the European Union had a minister in the sector like Professor Paolo Savona, proposed by the M5E, because with him there was the risk of leaving the euro.
The Italian Constitution has just celebrated its 75th anniversary, an anniversary that Mattarella has taken advantage of so that, in these times of change, with a right-wing Government presided over for the first time by a woman, Giorgia Meloni, the Constitution continues to inspire the life of the Republic.
For example, he gave a lesson on good government on the occasion of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the death of Alessandro Manzoni (1785-1873), considered one of the greatest Italian novelists of all time for his famous novel 'I promessi sposi' ('The Bride and Groom'). He explained that the defense of the national interest is incompatible with nationalism, recalling how dangerous it is to have “ruling classes” more willing to “please their electoral base and their mood swings.”
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Mattarella has won great international prestige, being seen as a reference and guarantor of the stability of the system in Italy, a difficult challenge considering that the transalpine country has a debt of 2.8 trillion euros, almost 145% of the Gross Domestic Product. As a great Europeanist, he considers it essential to maintain fidelity to ties with the EU and the Atlantic Alliance, with a critical spirit when necessary. “The EU was born to defend freedom, democracy and the rule of law,” he said when visiting Poland in April, showing the need to “support Ukraine to safeguard world peace.”
His relations with Giorgia Meloni are fluid. The prime minister, despite the weak ruling class of the Brothers of Italy, has grown in popularity, gained international image and has broken some chains of the radical right. Meloni's great challenge, in addition to trying to make a great conservative party, is the reform of the 'premierate' (the direct election of the prime minister at the polls). Every day there are more voices against the initiative, which she calls “the mother of all reforms”, because a prime minister elected directly at the polls would greatly reinforce his role, while the figure of the president of the Republic, elected by the Parlament. Mattarella remains silent, maintaining her neutrality, and observes the Prime Minister's steps with interest.
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