Tourism interim to Meloni: Mattarella signed the decree

The OK from President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella has arrived: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will have the interim over the Ministry of Tourism, after the now former holder Daniela Santanchè resigned on Wednesday evening.

In the text, which was signed by Mattarella after a telephone conversation with Meloni, Santanchè's step back and the provisional appointment of the minister to the premier, as per her proposal, are accepted.

The note from Palazzo Chigi includes Meloni's first words to Santanchè, 'who in recent years has worked with great dedication and ensured her contribution to the recovery and relaunch of tourism in Italia. The government will continue to work to support and enhance a strategic asset of the national economy, which ensures Italy's prosperity, wellbeing and international prestige'.

On Wednesday, on the other hand, Santanchè had not hidden her regret for the explicit request made by Meloni: the prime minister - it was written in a note on Tuesday evening after the resignation at the Ministry of Justice of the undersecretary Andrea Delmastro and the head of the cabinet Giusi Bartolozzi - 'hopes that, on the same line of institutional sensitivity, a similar choice will be shared by the Minister of Tourism Daniela Santanchè'.

Thus, his letter of reply (with his resignation): 'I wanted it to be clear, for the sake of my honour, that I am taking a step backwards, not only due to the request that the leader of my Party considers useful and opportune. I was and am anxious to emphasise that to date my criminal record is spotless and that there is not even a simple committal to trial for the lay-off affair'. Having clarified this, 'I have no difficulty in saying "I obey" and doing what you ask. I won't hide from you a bit of bitterness at the outcome of my ministerial path, but in my life I am used to paying my own bills and often those of others. I care more about our friendship and the future of our movement