Regional elections, Giani defends his alliance with the Five Star Movement: "Calenda? He's just seeking visibility."
Florence, August 25, 2025 – “How many kilometers have I done today? Six hundred, more or less. I'm coming down from Lunigiana; we commemorated the victims of the Vinca massacre of 1944. Now there's the awards ceremony for the cycling race in Corsanico. Then Pisa...”
Eugenio Giani, running for the second presidency of Tuscany, took just three days off (actually, two and a half because he was in Prato on the morning of August 15th to meet with Minister Piantedosi), after which he resumed his pinball-like activity across the Grand Duchy. He now wears the Nazareno-branded suit of the broad camp, even though a few hours ago Azione hemmed it in with Carlo Calenda's departure, saying goodbye to the alliance with the Five Star Movement, which, he claims, is keeping the Democrats in check.
President Giani, Action has given you the boot .
"Well, I think Calenda is just seeking national visibility. His choice isn't tied to the Tuscan landscape. And let me clarify something."
We are here.
"He says that with the Five Star Movement there will be a halt to Tuscany's infrastructure. Perhaps he's misinformed. We're pressing ahead with a key project, the high-speed rail line, for example. And then we have the four-lane Siena-Grosseto line under construction, the Darsena Europa project in Livorno, and we're about to inaugurate the doubling of the track between Pistoia and Montecatini Terme..."
Ok, the fact is that the total wide field is no longer there.
“There's a vanguard coalition that ranges from reformist forces like +Europa to Avs and the 5 Star Movement. I even convinced Matteo Renzi (laughs, ed. ).
According to some in his party, Calenda may not be entirely wrong. Many hoped that the online polls of the Five Star Movement, with 3-4% of the vote, would pave the way for a break with the broader coalition.
"I don't think so, on the contrary. The referendum has been recognized as an important step in the Movement. They seem to have moved from a 'no only' stance to a constructive approach. It's an evolutionary step."
Tuscany a pilot for the 2027 general election?
"Yes, of course. Also supported by the strength of the civic movement's experience, which is finding many supporters."
Listen, what did you and Schlein discuss at the Nazarene during the long discussion that led to his second candidacy?
“At a certain point we discovered a beautiful complicity.”
Really?
"Yes. The desire to seize upon the Tuscan government model as a laboratory for Italy. Think about free nurseries."
Only for families with an ISEE below 35,000 euros, however.
"Exactly. But if the other 19 regions of Italy did the same and the government found a billion—and it's not impossible in the budget—to allocate to all families earning over €35,000, we would have free daycare throughout Italy. Wouldn't that be a revolution?"
Well, yes.
“And then you think about free books, the minimum wage, the income...”
Here's the key topic. Some people are already talking about Tuscan welfare. What's your response?
“First of all, I call it job placement income.”
And what changes?
"With the money that the European Social Fund allocates to Tuscany, we can find 15-20 million euros to financially support those who suddenly lose their jobs during their reintegration phase."
So the income isn't financed with new taxes on Tuscans?
"Absolutely not".
And where do you find the resources to improve the healthcare system?
"First, we're asking the state to return to contributing up to 7% of GDP to healthcare spending, rather than the current 6.3%. And then we need to rationalize those sectors where there's no direct healthcare."
That is to say?
“Diverting logistics costs to the hiring of doctors, nurses, and laboratory technicians.”
La Nazione
