Dame Enzo Amendula left his mark on European affairs and the recovery fund, enjoys universal respect, within a year and a half, he repaired relations with Paris and Berlin and kept the opposition directly to NATO and the USA. That’s why he could become Mario Draghi’s extraordinary advisor

Among the “unconfirmed” ministers in Draghi’s government there is a brilliant unlikely, Enzo Amendola. He is neither on the new executive branch nor on the ministry he led for a year and a half, which is the list of European affairs. It will be the Prime Minister, in light of the 7 years at the head of the European Central Bank, who will occupy the positions of relations with Brussels, with the Deputy Under Secretary, as was the case during the Renzi government.

It’s weightlessness, and he will feel it, judging by a long series of reactions of appreciation and closeness gathered on the last day in the office. Amendola is only 47 years old, but she is already a long-standing knowledge of Italian politics. He started at the age of 16, with studies continuing, as the Director of the DS in Naples, where the news of the past hour now wants him to be a candidate for mayor of the Pd-Five Star Coalition.

Selected by Nicola Zingaretti As director of national foreign affairs for the party in 2018, former undersecretary of Farnesina with the governments of Renzi and Gentiloni, in the past year and a half, Amendola brought a section, European politics, often transformed into a “division” of Palazzo Chigi.

You want a pandemic that has forced everyone, Eurolyrics and the Eurosceptics, to set their sights on Brussels for a way out. Want the long work of the recovery box, which Amendola followed in the lead with Giuseppe Conte And his diplomatic advisor Pietro Benassi, Which ended last July with indisputable Italian success: 209 billion euros in recovery funds and 82 non-refundable.

Sure, that money hasn’t arrived yet, and Mario Draghi He reached Rome with this goal. But it was a record number compared to other EU countries that owed little to the long diplomatic work of former Minister Diem. When, after the announcement, the road to EU money became arduous due to cross-veto use in eastern countries, especially Hungary and Poland, Amendola’s phone began to smoke again with continued go-and-phone contact with your European colleagues, especially in Berlin, until the stalemate was liberated.

There would be no Amendola bis, at least not in the same role. And there is not a few who regret it. On Twitter, it’s a parade going on. He revives without a trace of controversy, with all his energy self confidence Institutional. “A year and a half, with discipline and honor. Thank you all. Long live Italy, and we wish you success to the government of President Draghi.”

It gives Facebook more generous memory. It is the night of July 21 when the European Council approves the next generation of the European Union. “European, on that day, was no longer an empty word and became a reality. In these difficult months, feelings towards Europe finally turned to positive. This is our home, this is our future. And if you have participated in changing that feeling for a small part, this is the best gift I bring with me. “.

A group of colleagues wishes him all the best. There is Renziano Evan Scalfarotto“An excellent minister and a beautiful person.” European Union Commissioner Paulo GentiloniI ran Enzo. Blue dicc Gianfranco Rotundi He goes further, “one of the best ministers in this legislature,” and so on Carlo CalindaHe was an excellent servant, and he was a gentleman. European fellows join the ranks, with a salute not required by the protocol. “Thank you for your great work,” tweeted the German Minister of State for Financial Affairs Wolfgang Schmidt, Followed by the Irish counterpart Thomas Byrne And from French Clement Boone.

With Amendola, the Italian government is, for the time being, abandoning a loyal friend of the United States. In the last dispatch of the American ambassador to Rome Louis Eisenberg There are two names circled in red as safe allies of Washington, DC: Enzo Amendula and Lorenzo Guerrini.

Amendola always kept the ribbon straight on Atlas without looking for labels but never gave up on saying it, even when it was uncomfortable. So last May, while applause was wasted elsewhere for help against the Coronavirus from Beijing, he vehemently rejected the “invasion” of its five-star allies, the Chinese Silk Road: “If we were the government, the memorandum would never have been signed with China he – she”. As is the case in so many hot files, from violating human rights in Hong Kong, in Xinjiang, Russia, to securing the 5G network.

Combined with an anti-American prejudice that is somewhat occasional for the parties, Amendola fought against another prejudice. This constant suspicion of Italian policy towards Paris and Berlin, which sees France and Germany as rivals that must be watched.

He is also responsible for mending relations with the two consultants concerned, after a year of yellow and green government between them Yellow jacketIf only the anti-Merkel rattles left a big mess. His signature, for example, at the Italian-French summit in Naples a year ago, which calmed the waters by renewing the Treaty of Quirinale and a picnic by Conte and Emmanuel Macron Between alleys and daddy.

This slow reform, now that Paris and Berlin are the beating heart of the US president’s strategy in Europe Joe BidenIt can be very useful. Even for European Italians par excellence, Mario Draghi, Who, regardless of his duties, can find in Amendola an exceptional way out.