Tullio Fazzolari reinterprets a thriller novel published fifteen years ago: “Two armchairs for one” by Pietro Bernasconi which tells of a climb to the Quirinale …
“An armchair for two” is now one of the strenna films that television re-proposes every Christmas. And we already know by heart how the challenge between Eddy Murphy and Dan Aykroyd will be resolved. It is therefore reasonable to assume that, at least during this year’s holidays, interest will focus on how the race for a much more important chair will end, namely that of the presidency of the Republic. There are only three weeks left until the vote to elect the head of state, the candidacies are popping up like mushrooms even if only some seem consistent, no political force has made a clear and definitive choice and the games are all open. And until the very end, we will remain in suspense.
In the meantime, in order not to neglect the subject but not to be overwhelmed by the tension, we might as well read a thriller novel published fifteen years ago. “Two armchairs for one” by Pietro Bernasconi (Mursia, 163 pages, € 16.5) tells of a climb to the Quirinale which at the time was something more than a simple probability. From the cover, in which there are two elegant Louis XV style chairs but on one and a remote control unmistakable sign of the domination of the TVs, it is already clear that the protagonist of the ascent towards the Colle is Silvio Berlusconi. That, when Bernasconi’s novel came out, he was prime minister and today is again among the candidates for the supreme office of the state. We know how it went but since it is a thriller we cannot reveal what the ending of the book is but it is possible to underline some analogies with current events. Today, as in Bernasconi’s story, the candidacy of the Forza Italia leader must compete with allies in whom unlimited trust cannot be placed, with irrevocable vetoes on his name by opponents and so on. That Berlusconi could have better luck fifteen years later and a question that at the moment can only be answered by a seer or Matteo Renzi.
In reality, the aspect that makes the thriller current is not Berlusconi’s renewed candidacy but the concept of “Two armchairs for one” which is not a simple calambour of the film’s title. Bernasconi’s is not a historical novel that recounts events that have already taken place with a literary device, but a description of what could happen. In the history of the Republic it had never happened that a prime minister became head of state. And it hasn’t happened for Berlusconi either. But it could happen now with Mario Draghi. There is no official candidacy of him and much less do we see his maneuvers to climb the hill that do not belong to the style of the character. However, his availability has emerged quite clearly and it is already a strong signal.
But we will have to wait three weeks to find out if “Two armchairs for one” will come true. Then who knows maybe if Pietro Bernasconi wrote his thriller novel today, he would change the title to three armchairs for one since some patriot or self-styled one is calling for an assignment in Europe for Draghi so that he would better defend the interests of Italy.
