Tajani talks to Pier Silvio Berlusconi about healthcare: "FI's future? Looking ahead means having plans."

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"The future of Forza Italia? Looking ahead means having plans." Antonio Tajani is elusive. "Today we're talking about healthcare" and the summer hospital initiative, says the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. He wants to avoid further controversy and exploitation after Pier Silvio Berlusconi's words—"we need new faces," "we can always do better"—taking a dig at the party founded by his father. A serious blow to Tajani, its secretary, and to historic figures like Maurizio Gasparri. Perhaps the current organizational chart is too Roman-centric for the CEO of Mediaset. Or at least not so close to his Milanese sensibilities.

Things are still rough; Pier Silvio's intervention hasn't left Forza Italia leaders indifferent, and even yesterday, most Forza Italia MPs preferred not to comment. But behind the scenes, with notebooks closed, the suggestion continues to circulate: that of a party gradually freeing itself from the Berlusconi family, seeking new sponsors and financiers. Is a future less tied to Pier Silvio and Marina conceivable? "Let's hope not," smiles Raffaele Nevi. "We hope they continue to support us as they have done so far ." The Forza Italia spokesman, one of Tajani's most loyal supporters, responds to Il Foglio on the sidelines of the press conference that the Forza Italia leader—in the company of group leader Paolo Barelli and MEP Letizia Moratti—organized in the Chamber of Deputies to present the strategic plan for the public healthcare service and announce the summer mobilization. As this newspaper anticipated, in a rehash of the prison incident, Forza Italia MPs and party leaders will visit hospitals in August to see the (poor) conditions of Italy's healthcare system firsthand. Journalists are asked to question them only about this topic, and regarding Forza Italia's next moves, Tajani simply says: "Looking ahead means having plans, and the healthcare plan is essential, along with justice reform and tax cuts."

He has no desire to discuss Pier Silvio Berlusconi's criticisms, a sore point. While discussing his summer tour, he explains: "We are a governing force and we want to take the bull by the horns and address and resolve the healthcare problems. We can't expect the opposition to deal with them alone." The plan is still unclear in terms of funding ("it's difficult to quantify the cost at the moment") but it consists of eleven points: from general medicine to reducing waiting lists, including new hires (around 30,000 doctors and nurses) and worker safety. A series of measures that Forza Italia believes will help modernize the system and which will in any case need to be discussed first at the majority table. Paolo Barelli, meanwhile, recalls that "we are not present at the Ministry of Health and we feel the need to provide a factual contribution, not just words." He adds that Health Minister Orazio Schillaci , a technical expert but a member of the Brothers of Italy party, has received Forza Italia's proposals in advance. This almost obligatory clarification is necessary, because it's clear that the blue-line mobilization might not be so welcome to the government's allies. For example, a year ago, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni put her face forward on the waiting list decree. But yesterday, Tajani said, "it's unacceptable to wait months for an MRI or surgery." In short, a short circuit within the majority, however small or large, cannot be ruled out.

And then there's another risk: exposing oneself to attacks from the Democratic Party, the Five Star Movement, and the left, who have been hammering away at the issue of health care for months; in fact, it's one of the few things they've managed to reach an agreement on. And, indeed, the opposition has launched its attack promptly. "A joke," the Five Star Movement calls it. "Tajani, like the Marquis of Grillo: he's woken up!" lashes out at Democrat Chiara Braga. "The deputy prime minister should press the Meloni government. FI is restless, and we understand the reasons," stings the other group leader, Francesco Boccia, urging Tajani to get serious. Unlike what happened a few days ago with the Ius scholae , another issue on which Berlusconi Jr. has been critical. But at least this, it seems, is truly a closed chapter. "The citizenship law? That's enough," jokes Raffaele Nevi, "we've already talked about it enough." And there's no point in reopening internal and external controversies and tensions. Tajani already has a lot on his plate.

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