Giorgia, the crisis and the summer ahead: Why the Santanchè affair changes everything

Who would have thought that a casual chat on TV would rub so much salt into the wounds of a ruling coalition? Yet, this week in Rome, the atmosphere feels different—something we haven’t sensed in months—and the name echoing through the corridors of Montecitorio is the same: Giorgia. Not for a triumphant new announcement, but for managing one of the most uncomfortable crises since she took office at Palazzo Chigi. Daniela Santanchè’s resignation from the Ministry of Tourism has opened a Pandora’s box that no one in the centre-right wanted to deal with, especially as the summer season approaches.

The Prime Minister found herself backed into a corner sooner than expected. The legal troubles surrounding the former minister were a sword of Damocles, but the trigger for everything was the phone call with President Mattarella. Usually, calls from the Quirinale are recounted as formal rituals, but this one—I can assure you—was the kind that forces a rethink of your entire agenda. According to whispers in parliamentary circles, Mattarella made it clear, with his characteristic calm, that a prolonged interim arrangement wasn’t the ideal solution. So Giorgia Meloni found herself having to choose: keep Tourism for herself (a significant burden) or find a fresh face capable of mending a rift that risks becoming a chasm.

To gauge the tension, just look at what happened on air. Paola Ferrari, in an interview that made the rounds of every TV talk show, used harsh words—the kind you don’t forget. She spoke of a power system that brooks no criticism, an environment where those who make mistakes pay, but those in charge never do. The reference, more or less veiled, was precisely to how the Santanchè affair was handled. Giorgia’s problem isn’t so much the interview itself, but the fact that those words found fertile ground in a Parliament already running hot.

Names, scenarios, and the weight of summer

Meanwhile, the list of Santanchè’s creditors—a line totalling 25 million euros, if we include the latest corridor gossip—has become the main topic of conversation at Roman dinners. It’s not just about money, but about image. And for a government that’s betting everything on post-pandemic recovery and boosting tourism, image is everything. Unsurprisingly, while politicians bicker, many are eyeing the coming months with interest. Summer is approaching, and the tourism sector can’t afford an interim minister dragging on for weeks, especially with Italian destinations already being swarmed by international visitors.

• The interim dilemma: If Giorgia Meloni keeps the Tourism portfolio, she risks overburdening herself at a crucial time for international headlines and the G7.
• Pressure from coalition partners: Forza Italia and the Lega don’t want to appear as mere bystanders in this game. Each is pushing for a heavyweight candidate of their own.
• The Santanchè precedent: The handling of the resignation has exposed an internal fracture that, until a month ago, seemed unthinkable.
• The numbers on the table: Beyond the former minister’s debts, there are opinion polls showing a slight but steady dip in discontent among centre-right voters.

The situation is so fluid that even the names in contention change by the hour. Aside from the usual suspects within the majority, there are whispers of a technocrat who could be a unifying figure. Then there’s another detail, one many overlook but which is crucial for those of us following Roman politics: the human factor. In this moment, Giorgia is showing a tenacity reminiscent of the best moments in her career, but she knows well that public support is like sand—if you don’t hold it tight, it slips through your fingers.

And while the spotlight is on her, people forget that Giorgia is also a name that echoes in other worlds. Who knows if our Prime Minister, during this weekend of reflection, found time for something lighter. Maybe a TV series starring Giorgia Whigham, the American actress who’s taking streaming platforms by storm, or a football match where Giorgian De Arrascaeta shines—though for now, we could use his goals more on the pitch than in politics. Or perhaps a snippet about Giorgia Andriani, always a favourite with gossip columns, or some social media photos of model Giorgia Fiorio. Small distractions, compared to the weight of mending a tear that could define the second half of this parliamentary term.

The truth is, we’re facing a decisive test. Those who expected the prime minister—with her dual conservative and pragmatic nature—to buckle under the pressure of controversy will likely have to think again. But the game is just beginning. The only certainty, in this scorching Roman spring, is that this government’s future hinges on the choices Giorgia Meloni makes in the next 72 hours. And from how she moves, we’ll see if the summer ahead will be a season of fire or just a lukewarm truce.