Can Meloni’s authorities use the Olympic success for its personal profit? | EUROtoday

It was trembling till the final second: would Italy actually handle to complete constructing all of the venues in time? Because lots went fallacious upfront with these video games unfold over so many areas. The prices turned ever increased and time turned more and more scarce. An issue case: the ice channel in Cortina, which was fully rebuilt from scratch in a really brief house of time – regardless of all the guarantees of sustainability.

The International Olympic Committee truly agreed to easily maintain these competitions overseas. But the right-wing authorities in Rome insisted on the brand new constructing. Matteo Salvini, the deputy prime minister, turned the query of the ice monitor right into a query of nationwide honor:

Skier Brignone turned a logo

In the top, Italy achieved what many had doubted: all the pieces was prepared in time for the video games to begin – properly, extra usable than truly completed. Even the ice rink in Cortina, even the second drawback little one, the ice hockey area in Milan. And, virtually as unexpectedly: Italy additionally actually did properly when it comes to sport at these video games.

The image of this was ski racer Federica Brignone, who gained two gold medals for Italy after a severe damage, within the Super-G and the enormous slalom: “I’m so happy, it’s so crazy with these fans,” she cheered. “When I crossed the finish line I wasn’t sure if it was enough, but then I heard the crowd and it was just crazy.”

Mood, at the very least generally

Yes, you heard proper: Despite the lengthy distances, there was an Olympic ambiance, at the very least at a number of the venues. In central and southern Italy, distant from the Alps, Olympic fever by no means actually caught on. Just a few extra individuals may now know the title Federica Brignone, the Italians are additionally happy with “their” medals – however the Olympic TV scores, for instance, have been usually considerably decrease in comparison with Germany; Italy is not going to abruptly develop into a winter sports activities nation as a complete.

Even although Salvini, a Milanese himself, would in all probability be completely happy about that. At these video games he took each alternative to place his face within the digital camera and emphasize Italy’s success – together with swipes at Olympic critics and political opponents.

Side swipes on Olympic critics

“This is the Italy that offers the best of itself to the world,” mentioned Salvini. “Despite the troublemakers who sabotage the railway lines and riot near the Olympic Village, despite those who say ‘how ugly is that’. We are conveying a beautiful picture to billions of people around the world.”

And Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni even mentioned: Anyone who protests in opposition to the video games is an enemy of Italy. However, the Roman girl hardly ever appeared on the Olympics. Aside from the opening and shutting ceremonies, she has solely been to at least one girls’s brief monitor competitors.

Meloni targeted on governing

Political scientist Lorenzo Castellani from Luiss University in Rome shouldn’t be shocked by the absence: That shouldn’t be Meloni’s fashion. “Meloni hasn’t even taken a photo with tennis star Jannik Sinner or with the national soccer team. Probably because she’s not particularly interested in sports and it’s just not her style in general.”

Instead, Meloni most popular to journey to these affected by the extreme landslide in Sicily and to the African Union in Ethiopia. Lorenzo Castellani sees this as constructive – she most popular to focus on governing slightly than taking stunning photographs. In normal, he attracts a constructive conclusion from these video games: There have been no main scandals, and organizationally all the pieces went easily – the federal government can boast about that. And will proceed to take action within the coming years.