I’m publishing an interview published in today’s Il Secolo XIX, in which I respond to some questions about the alliance with the Democratic Party, the referendum to repeal the Lodo Alfano, about the relationship of Italia dei Valori with civil society and the campaign groups, about Beppe Grillo and still more.


Secolo XIX: Honourable Di Pietro, how is the relationship with the Democratic Party (PD)? By now there’s no day that goes by without a disagreement or a reciprocal reproach.
Antonio Di Pietro: First we have to understand what the Democratic Party is and then we will succeed in understanding what relationship there can be between us.

Secolo XIX: In what way?
Antonio Di Pietro: In as much as with respect, I am waiting for the completion of a political process that is going on, a process that to me seems imperfect. But I never forget and I would like the PD not to forget either that our political opponent is Berlusconi. This is why I think that their choice not to participate with us in the collection of signatures against the Lodo Alfano is a mistake. Not for other reasons. I would have been pleased if they had been at our side in the streets and squares of Italy.

Secolo XIX: Even without the PD, you are not going to give up on the Autumn campaign? Are you convinced that you can do it anyway?
Antonio Di Pietro: But of course we will not have problems with the signatures. Everything is ready: the operation starts off on 12, 13 and 14 September at Vasto where we are having our conference. The forms are being printed and we have formed the teams that are already ready to go into action in 120 locations in italy. And there’s more: at the beginning of October we will organise a big demonstration and in that week, we reckon to collect at least 100,000 signatures. At the beginning of January the 800,000 signatures will be with the Court of Cassation.

Secolo XIX: By now you have become an icon of "girotondi" and of campaign groups. Do you feel comfortable with that?
Antonio Di Pietro: We have a solid relationship with civil society and with the campaign groups. But it’s not enough to do the "girotondi". It’s necessary to transfer certain issues in active politics: we believe that in the campaign groups there are valuable people that are capable of representing a valid alternative to this political class. This is why, at the next European elections, we will open up our lists: we will reserve 70 to 80 per cent of the places in the IdV lists to the leaders of civil society and of the campaign groups.

Secolo XIX: In Autumn, there’ll also be Beppe Grillo starting out with his new 2008 tour. Is it a coincidence that he is playing the game in your favour?
Antonio Di Pietro: I really appreciate what Grillo is doing. In fact, thank goodness he’s there. In a way it is the political class that is the fugitive. Grillo is not making mistakes: he’s like a radiologist that tells you you are ill. And if there’s an illness, what’s to be done? You don’t close down the diagnostic laboratory, but you go off and find the right treatment.

Secolo XIX: Here everyone is looking for a bipartisan approach to the reforms. But do you really not believe in the possibility of dialogue with “il Cavaliere”?
Antonio Di Pietro: It is incredible that the government talks about the reforms and asks us for a consensus sight unseen, on text that is not known. We don’t know what there is behind the door. But, in general, I can tell you one thing: “se li conosci, li eviti” {If you know them, you avoid them}.

Secolo XIX: The latest idea on justice is that the Lega proposes having prosecutors elected by the people and there’s Ghedini who supports that. What do you think?
Antonio Di Pietro: It’s an American thing. But can you imagine in Italy the potential judges going round doing election campaigns? And how will they get support in places like Plati, Corleone or Locri?

Secolo XIX: A final thing: they continue to talk about your own newspaper, even more so now that Travaglio and others have come into a collision course with the new directors of l'Unità. Will you confirm or deny that?
Antonio Di Pietro: I know nothing and no one has talked to me about this. Having said that, I will add: wouldn’t it be great if there were a new newspaper that was able to gather the free voices that are still in circulation?