Claudia Conte case, Piantedosi mandates a lawyer. Opposition: government to clarify

The Democratic Party members of the RAI Supervisory Commission have asked the company to provide full clarity on the details of the collaborations and contracts with Claudia Conte. 'While not entering into the merits of personal matters concerning a minister in office,' reads the note, 'we consider it necessary to exclude any possible connection between relations with a minister in office pro tempore and the editorial and contractual choices of the public service. This is why we are calling for transparency on the criteria and procedures for the allocation of space, in order to ensure maximum fairness and clarity for citizens. We demand precise answers and will submit a parliamentary question on the matter'.

The matter is considered very sensitive within the government, one that could have knock-on effects. The interior minister has also met Matteo Salvini in recent hours.

There is total agreement between the two, assure sources in the League, which has been taking this line for days: we are not asking for anything, but if the allies were to open reflections on the government team, the priority for us would be the Viminal.

An option," the party pointed out, "that the League is not even informally raising at this time precisely out of respect for Piantedosi and to avoid malicious reconstructions. "Fratelli d'Italia renews its full confidence in the interior minister, Matteo Piantedosi, for the excellent work he has done in recent years at the helm of the ministry in combating mass illegal immigration crime and in strengthening the security of Italians," declared the leaders of the Fratelli d'Italia group in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic, Galeazzo Bignami and Lucio Malan.

"Claudia Conte and the link with Piantedosi, when merit goes beyond prejudice", is the headline on Money.it summarising the interview granted by the 34-year-old to Marco Gaetani, a well-known face among politicians because he is the radio presenter of Atreju, the FdI kermesse.

"Claudia Conte was introduced to us by an intermediary person, who also told us that she could answer the question about the rumours that had already been circulating on the web about her for some time, being able to confirm her relationship with the minister since - she assured us - he was separated," is the reconstruction provided by the Money.it editorial staff. 'Obviously we keep the identity of this source, who is not a politician, confidential. We did not know Claudia Conte before and there was no bad faith on our part. What is certain is that there was no direction on our part, but we only did our job as journalists, outside of any opaque logic. Of course, after what happened we ask ourselves questions as to whether or not there was an attempt at manipulation'.

Journalist, writer, anchorwoman, TV pundit and spokesperson for the National Observatory on Bullying and Youth Discomfort, Conte defines herself on social media. Where photos with the Pope stand out, but also pictures of events in which she participated as a speaker in the Senate.

She was also the godmother of the world tour of Nave Amerigo Vespucci. When Gaetani asks her about the rumours 'in the political salons' about 'an affair' with Piantedosi, she hesitates and then replies: 'Well,it's something I can't deny, but I'm very reserved in my private life. Next question'.

In the meantime, news pops up such as Conte's appointment in February as a collaborator, 'on a part-time basis and free of charge', of the parliamentary commission of enquiry on suburbs.

But also, the Tomorrow reveals, in June 2024 a post in the police force training school, which belongs to the Viminale. Ministry sources, reports the Tomorrow, claim that Piantedosi knew nothing about this contract.