She had chosen Labor Day to announce that she was tackling social minima. On May 1, Giorgia Meloni had acted on the abolition of the “citizenship income” and the relaxation of hiring on a fixed-term contract. Barely time for her opponents to cry foul that the Italian Prime Minister had already moved on. This Monday, it is the public service of culture that the leader of the Italian government wanted to attack. The boss of Rai, the state radio and television, has announced his resignation. Carlo Fuortes justified his departure by the pressure exerted on him by his supervisory authorities, claiming to refuse changes in editorial line and programming that he “does not consider in the interests of Rai”.
Two French opera directors should follow the same path, under a text requiring all directors of lyrical theaters over the age of 70 to leave their post by June 10 at the latest. Stéphane Lissner, the French director of the Naples Opera, would be concerned. Dominique Meyer, head of La Scala in Milan, would also be hit by the age limit in 2025.
The opposition denounces “manoeuvres”
Opponents of the Fratelli d’Italia (FDI) party see it as a takeover of the public service of culture by the ultra-conservative executive of Giorgia Meloni. For the boss of one of the parties of the Italian left, Nicola Fratoianni, “with the resignation of Fuortes begins the maneuvers for the total control of public broadcasting”.