Steve Bannon, 64 years, in his Washington studio. Hanging on the wall, on the left, a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, president of the United States since 1861 al 1865

Of Francesco Bei
Trump's former strategist was the first to predict the Lega-M5S fusion : “Rome will be the European leader of the populist movement. The priority is the migrant emergency"
Steve Bannon, former White House strategist, now free hitter and ideologist of the "anti-system" movement, he was the first to predict what actually happened: the welding between the two Italian "populist" forces for a government that overturns the European liberal paradigm.
Two months after that interview with La Stampa, Bannon returns to observe the experiment underway in Italy with curiosity and admiration, so much so that we decided to stop in our country on Sunday.
As you had hoped from the beginning, The League and the Five Star Movement have reached an agreement to form the new government. There is the name of the Prime Minister, the program contract and also the indication of the main ministers. How do you rate this agreement??
«I think that the one between M5S and Lega is an intelligent pact, I am sure he will serve the interests of the Italian people. It also demonstrates the maturity and political wisdom of leaders like Di Maio and Salvini, capable of putting aside personal ambitions for the good of their country".
What it means for Italy to be led by the first European government composed of "anti-system" forces?
«Italy, with its “unity government”, will become the leader of the anti-establishment populist movement in Europe. For the first time, Brussels will be forced to deal with an anti-system government in a founding country of the Union. A government that can enjoy the overwhelming support of its people".
How do you see the balance of power and internal dynamics between the M5s and the League in the new government??
«The two parties, like I said before, they have shown patience and wisdom in putting aside the legitimate personal ambitions of their leaders and this shows the world that their relationship works. If Di Maio and Salvini govern with the pragmatism they have shown so far, over time, Italy will benefit greatly from it".
They identified a third figure as Giuseppe Conte. A professor, a technician, even if now they call him a "politician". This does not contradict all the slogans of Lega and M5S against Prime Ministers "not elected by the people"?
«The people elected the parties. These same parties are now working to reach a positive compromise that few believed could actually be found. I say this not only could but should happen: then they will be the citizens, in the next elections, to decide whether or not to reward the work that has been done".
In your opinion, the M5s-Lega government should focus on which issues?
«The priority should be the immediate restoration of sovereignty over their country to the Italian people with the solution to the immigration emergency. From this reconquest of sovereignty should therefore arise a serious project to unleash the gigantic entrepreneurial potential of Italians, their talent in job creation and growth".
But what will be the impact of this government on the European Union?
«The “unity government”, as I like to call it, it will have a huge impact on Brussels. Together with Victor Orban's landslide victory in Hungary, the message is clear: citizens want their countries back and they want them back now".
EU Commissioners, European leaders and international media are already expressing skepticism and criticism: he thinks Italy will find itself isolated?
«Italy, believe me, it will not be isolated, indeed it has just put itself at the forefront of change in Europe. Furthermore, even if he wanted to, the European Union cannot afford to isolate one of its founding members, especially with the implications this would have on the border issue.".
How do you think the American administration could react to the formation of this government?? He doesn't believe there could be tensions between Washington and Rome, given the close relations between Russia and Salvini's League?
«I am a private citizen and I only express my personal opinion, but I believe that the United States administration and the American people support everything they believe is in the best interests of Italy and its citizens".
Source: http://www.lastampa.it/2018/05/23/italia/ora-bruxelles-deve-trattare-con-un-governo-antisistema WKBBRUWwED8MEzcfWOZ6IK/pagina.html