De Benedetti says Meloni looked 'annebbiata' after her referendum defeat and reacted in an 'almost childish' way.
The episode of Otto e Mezzo features an interview with Carlo De Benedetti, an engineer, publisher, and entrepreneur. Host Lilli Gruber welcomes him and immediately asks about Giorgia Meloni's parliamentary address after the referendum defeat. De Benedetti responds that he was not reassured, arguing that Meloni's listed achievements are ineffective since Italians are economically worse off, with wages down 8% in six years. He critiques Meloni's post-referendum behavior as 'annebbiata' and 'almost childish,' citing her dismissal of Undersecretary Santanchè. De Benedetti then shifts to international topics, discussing Trump and Netanyahu's roles in the Iran war. He states Netanyahu convinced Trump, whom he calls a 'poor psychopath,' to enter the conflict, and claims Netanyahu is in charge of both leaders. De Benedetti questions whether America remains a democracy under Trump, labeling it a 'democratura' due to his arbitrary changes in leadership. He predicts Trump may lose congressional support as his approval ratings drop. Returning to Italy, De Benedetti warns of a severe energy crisis, comparing it to 1973 but noting it's now a quantity issue with 20% of global oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz. He believes Meloni's government is ill-equipped and might be swept away by the crisis, suggesting President Mattarella may need to appoint a new prime minister. De Benedetti discusses opposition leader Elly Schlein, praising her work but noting the Democratic Party's internal divisions. He comments on political scandals involving Meloni's ministers and a selfie with a mafia informant, calling her party's environment 'bel ambientino.' De Benedetti also touches on Meloni's alliances with Trump and Orbán, hoping Italians remember these 'dangerous friendships.' Finally, as a publisher, he shares his views on the difficult future of Italian media, citing a lack of publishers but mentioning exceptions like Cairo. The episode concludes with a segment on Netanyahu's bombing of Lebanon despite a truce, referencing expert Mikael Zur's criticisms.
