A-Infos (en) Italy, IFA, UCADI #200 - TUSCAN GROUNDHOT DAY (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

There, everything is permitted, everything can be bought, and it's worth 
spending without thinking, and if you run out of money, one morning 
you'll find yourself on the other side of the window (Edoardo Bennato, 
"My Name is Franz", 1976)
GROUNDHOTS
We're back in the regional elections. As the comedian from Gialappa's 
would say, "it seems like yesterday, but it's today."
As in the 1993 film starring Bil Murray[1], Eugenio Giani returns to the 
starting line for Tuscany.
With a diverse alliance that sees people at the same table who, 
theoretically, shouldn't share any common ground.
But, they say, electoral law dictates these choices. Electoral laws, 
however, aren't written by the Holy Spirit, and the Tuscany Region's is 
one of the most anti-democratic ever seen.[2]

PAPER GAMES?[3]

Who knows how many of the citizens who will vote are aware that their 
mark on the ballot, besides remaining the last testimony of "political 
activity," doesn't even have the meaning they intended it to have. 
Between barriers, blocked lists, majoritarianism. Twenty years ago, 
Colin Crouch wrote a partially dystopian but ultimately optimistic text: 
"Postdemocracy"[4], which outlined the path taken by Western democracies 
in recent decades, where democratic forms had been hollowed out from 
within, leaving the shell apparently intact. Looking at the current 
situation, it seems we've moved into a phase where even the external 
forms are being digested within a substantially ademocratic process.

DEMOCRACY AT BAR

Anyone wishing to participate in elections as a candidate without 
affiliation now has to navigate a bureaucratic process completely devoid 
of any democratic aspect. An exorbitant number of signatures (which does 
not apply to groups already present in the Region) and then pass the 5% 
threshold. I would just like to point out that these aspects, which 
limit citizen representation, would be unconstitutional. The Italian 
electoral system has remained tied to proportional representation until 
the desire to wipe out participation was felt. Since the 1990s, the 
major newspapers sponsoring their masters, under the guise of an attack 
on "party politics," have encouraged a veritable white coup that would 
bring our country into line with the now-dominant neoliberal diktats. 
Furthermore, with the amendments to Title V, each Region is free to do 
as it pleases, evidently approving electoral laws for its own benefit.

NO ENEMIES ON THE LEFT...

The previous mandate, the one that came after the Rossi presidency, 
stemmed from one of the biggest scandals to have occurred in Italy in 
recent years. Namely, the burial of the Keu under the new 429 
(inaugurated with great fanfare by the mayors of the metropolitan city), 
which would replace the old route, maintaining virtually the same level 
of danger (two lanes, no central reservation, etc.). This affair, to 
which, truth be told, the local press gave little coverage (considering 
its gravity) and the right-wing "opposition" remained virtually silent, 
had involved mayors, businesses, and the 'Ndrangheta. The Region itself, 
through the then Prime Minister Giani (as the case may be), had smuggled 
through "under the table" (and without going through the committees) the 
amendment that was supposed to exempt the Aquarno consortium, which 
manages the Santa Croce sull'Arno wastewater treatment plant, from the 
obligation to undergo the environmental integration authorization (AIA) 
procedure, effectively allowing tanners to dispose of production cycle 
wastewater outside of the regulations (here's the video 
https://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/firenze/notizie/cronaca/21_aprile_24/inchiesta-concerie-balletto-giani-sull-evoluzione-tutto-regolare-era-qui-fin-dall-inizio-4efcf5e6-a540-11eb-9fae-9359a7b19c22.shtml).
Given that on that occasion, Councilor Tommaso Fattori, despite being 
utterly impotent in practice, had nevertheless worked assiduously and 
productively, for the 2020 elections it was decided to create a 
veritable decoy list, "Sinistra Civica Ecologista," invented by Rossi's 
jack-of-all-trades Ledo Gori. In this way, many citizens, convinced they 
were voting for a left-wing list, voted for one supporting Giani (in 
exchange for a social affairs department post).

...BUT MANY INDIFFERENT TO THE RIGHT

Thus, during Giani's first term, no left-wing opposition was present in 
the Region. And, as is well known, the right, beyond the usual 
parafascist antics, is not far removed from Giani's vision of regional 
government.

Also because its representatives know full well that the Democratic 
Party is a formidable guarantor for the ruling classes.

THE BLACK MAN AGAIN?

After the agreement with the Five Star Movement (which, given their 
specific structure, could ultimately really piss off Giani much more 
than the opposition), the left-wing lists preparing to run (for now 
"Toscana Rossa" and the reborn "PCI") not only have no chance of passing 
the threshold, but also risk not collecting the necessary signatures. So 
much so that one wonders whether it's worth it, for poorly structured 
and resource-poor organizations, to throw themselves into such a huge 
effort that, as often happens, risks leaving behind a desert, 
recriminations, and all the bile of the defeated. But does participating 
in elections, given these blatantly anti-democratic electoral systems, 
sacrificing concrete political work, really make any sense?
As for the "left-wing" army that will emerge (some Democratic Party 
member with liver problems has labeled him "Brancaleone," but 
Brancaleone was a loser; even if they ran with their 90-year-old aunt as 
their candidate, they'd easily find supporters. The Democratic Party's 
herd, though in crisis-but it would be in crisis if it were a party-is 
still enormous and well-secured. From this perspective, hats off. It's 
not exactly Gramscian hegemony, but we can say it's hegemony 
nonetheless. As for this group, I was saying, what will the omnipresent 
Giani's communication strategy be? Will they once again raise the 
"fascist threat" to unite their followers?

IT ALL NEEDS TO BE DONE AGAIN

As you know, we've never been much for electoral alchemy, but we must 
also be aware that, since we don't live in a society that's neither 
anarchic nor communist, we must take the bull by the horns and defend 
what we have...
That is, the fundamental struggle to be waged, at all levels, would be a 
great battle for proportional representation, to elect Parliament, the 
Regions, and the Municipalities. To escape from this plebiscitary and 
authoritarian trap into which we've been trapped for more than thirty 
years, which coincides with the darkest period in the history of capitalism.
Globalization is over, the EU has imploded. We know that revolution is 
neither around the corner nor in sight. We have ruling classes that, 
like the Japanese soldier (although paid much better), still believe 
they're in the 2000s.
Also because behind and above them lies a ruling class that, instead, 
has always known full well what its own interests were. So much so that 
they had been predicting it as early as 1975 
(https://contropiano.org/documenti/2014/05/27/la-crisi-della-democrazia-di-ieri-per-capire-quella-di-oggi-uno-sguardo-sulla-commissione-trilaterale-024244).

FINAL

In any case, although the work of presenting the left-wing lists 
presents the enormous difficulties we described above, we hope with the 
optimism of will that the result will at least allow for a dissenting 
voice in the Regional Council, at least one.

[1]"Groundhog Day" is the name given to the day of the Groundhog, poorly 
translated into Italian with the very ugly title "Ricomincio da capo".
[2]For a brief overview, obviously only for a very initial approach: 
https://ilreporter.it/sezioni/cronaca-e-politica/listino-bloccato-legge-elettorale-toscana/
[3]"Paper games" was Mussolini's definition of elections. As a dictator, 
he abolished elections with authoritarian laws. Authoritarianism is not 
needed today. Stop telling the nonsense about "governance."
[4]C. Crouch, "Postdemocracy," Laterza, 2005.

Andrea Bellucci

https://www.ucadi.org/2025/09/04/il-giorno-della-marmotta-toscana/
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