Malice is a low emotion, often fueled by the desire for revenge. But Luca Morisi, who just got an avalanche from it, can now complain badly. Matteo Salvini’s head of communications, social media guru and spin doctor has exposed many people to the nastiness on the internet on behalf of his client and friend in recent years: migrants, political opponents and, in particular, drug addicts. Now he falls himself over party nights with young men, cocaine and an unspecified “liquid drug” and has to put up with the accusation of double standards. And Salvini with him.
Morisi, 47 years old, from Mantua in northern Italy, once described himself as a “social megaphone”. He made so much noise on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok for Salvini. It was Morisi’s idea that the supporters would soon call the head of the right-wing Lega “Capitano”. He ran an office with twenty employees who post around the clock, dozens every day, sometimes hundreds: Salvini eating a Nutella bread, Salvini taking a selfie with fans, Salvini’s latest attack on sea rescuers, Salvini in front of a plate of pasta, Salvini with a submachine gun, Salvini with his daughter, Salvini on an excavator in a Roma and Sinti settlement, Salvini in swimming trunks, Salvini with a rosary, Salvini amidst half-naked dancers in the Papeete beach club in Milano Marittima.
Morisi called his propaganda machine “La Bestia”, it was a steamroller. Salvini’s following grew into the millions on all platforms, and the Lega rose from four to 34 percent in electoral favor in seven years. As unspeakably dull and vile the “Bestia” was: Nobody in the Lega wanted to rebel against Morisi, he made them stronger than ever.
When he announced a few days ago that he was stepping down for “family reasons”, including from the party’s secretariat, everyone initially thought of a political break: Did he not like that Salvini ruled with Mario Draghi? Did he not like the fact that the boss wasn’t flirting hard enough with those who opposed the vaccination? Or the other way around, because he does it too hard with the “No Vax”?
The Carabinieri also found cocaine hidden in books
Everything was completely different, more mundane, so to speak. In mid-August the Carabinieri found a bottle with a liquid drug in the car of three young Romanian men in the hinterland of Verona, where Morisi has a weekend apartment. The men said Morisi sold them to them. So the Carabinieri drove to his apartment, searched it and found cocaine hidden in books.
Now the public prosecutor is investigating drug trafficking. Morisi is very contrite and apologizes to Salvini and the Lega. He suffers from “vital needs,” he says. Salvini defends him. Morisi is being bullied by the media. “Who will give him back his dignity?” Well, what are the many victims of the beast supposed to say?
Salvini thinks that the story was made public right now, so shortly before the local elections on the weekend, is probably no coincidence. And indeed: why now, a month and a half after the incident? It would probably be worthwhile for Salvini to look for the leak in his own party ranks – for example among his companions who never liked his political style, the agitation and hatred, the nationalistic and xenophobic thunder. The Lega, which has recently shrunk, threatens to collapse, and Salvini is already fighting for his political survival.