Forza Italia leaders meet to mediate internal rift over party direction

Internal tensions have surfaced within Forza Italia following criticisms made by Roberto Occhiuto, the President of Calabria and party vice-secretary. Occhiuto recently described the party as “yellowed” and urged a shift toward more liberal and reformist policies, including greater focus on civil rights and economic freedoms to avoid political irrelevance.

Following these remarks, Forza Italia leader Antonio Tajani met with Occhiuto at the office of Gianni Letta in Rome to attempt mediation. The meeting, encouraged by Letta and Marina Berlusconi, aimed to address the friction caused by Occhiuto’s public critiques, which Tajani argued damage the party’s consensus. While Occhiuto stated he has no intention of changing leadership, he proposed that party decision-making should be more shared among senior figures.

Occhiuto’s platform includes advocating for economic measures such as a “no tax area” for young people and more modern approaches to identity issues, aiming to preserve the legacy of Silvio Berlusconi through a more innovative and reformist lens within the center-right coalition.