ROME -- After the electoral beating taken by the Democratic Party in the recent mayoral elections Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has announced his ‘Plan B’ for saving the upcoming referendum on the constitutional reforms he has proposed.

 It appears that the focus is on “depersonalising the dispute,” by disentangling the outcome of October’s referendum from the personal fate of the premier.  Advisors and faithful parliamentarians are prudently, and not without embarrassment, trying to make him realise, “that it’s obvious that having polarised the conflict by entangling yourself is not paying-off.  Thus, it’s damaging, as the result of the elections showed: it was a vote against Renzi.”

 Others added that, “there are many means and formulas to give political value to the referendum scrimmage.  However, from now we need to avoid phrases such as: ‘If I lose I will go back to my private life,’ or ‘if the no campaign triumphs I will leave politics’.  It’s obvious that in the case of conflict you [Renzi] are bringing consequences.  Yet if you continue with these slogans, it’s inevitable that your adversaries will transform the referendum into a populous for or against you, avoiding talking about the benefit of the constitutional reforms that are strongly innovative and extremely popular in their content.”

 Renzi listened, and has now observed, “But even if I followed this strategy that you are suggesting, there would be others to pull me under, saying that the victory of the ‘no’s’ is the way to send me packing.  What’s more somebody could use this change of tack as proof of weakness and cowardice.”

 He continued, “even if it’s true that we could succeed in truly depersonalising the face-off, we will finally succeed in explaining to Italians how the reforms cut politicians’ salaries and posts, simplifies legislative activity, and guarantees stability.  As well as confirming that those who say ‘no’ are in favour of the conservation of the current system, whilst ‘yes’ is door to innovation.”

 All in all, a big change in the way this referendum is being viewed, from “yes Renzi” or “no Renzi” to innovation against conservation.  This is the message which, already from this election Sunday, Renzi has begun trying to bring to the electorate, without the help of friends or advisors.

 He took the first step on Tuesday evening whilst, during seventy minutes of conversation when presenting the American tech-guru Alec Ross’ new book at the Elysium theatre, he never mentioned the word ‘referendum’ and the number of times he mentioned constitutional reform could be counted on one hand.

 From this we can only take that Renzi has truly taken the advice that has been offered to him and from now on will be set on his ‘Plan B’.

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