The end of Ilva, which has been on the cards for years, has now come to pass. And with it goes the country’s industrial autonomy, linked to the integrated steel cycle. News of this kind – caused, ultimately, by Minister Adolfo Urso’s reckless decision to oust ArcelorMittal and abandon the revamping of blast furnace 5 (which is asbestos-free) – should have sent shockwaves through the country today and brought people out onto the streets. More so than any Pride march or anti-fascist demonstration. Instead, the trade unions – who stand to be most affected by this affair – have merely threatened an eight-hour strike at a date to be determined. Schlein and Conte are already on holiday when it comes to this issue, and with them the entire opposition. Giorgetti provided the correct response to those calling for nationalisation: “It’s not as though, if there are health problems, the issue changes depending on whether the entity producing or polluting is private or public.” Across the entire constitutional spectrum, the only voice to make itself heard (in terms of leadership, issues and priorities) was that of the Mayor of Genoa, Silvia Salis, who met Urso during the round-table discussion at Palazzo Chigi, even before the local authorities from Puglia.Governor Decaro, who was vague on the matter, is the recipient of the letter in which Venkatesh Jindal informed him that, under the plan agreed with the government, the Indian company would take only the rolling mills, leaving the hot-rolling section to the state. The state would thus have shouldered legal problems, CO₂ quotas and costs, whilst supplying Jindal with slabs at below cost. Decaro therefore knew, before the court ruling, that Urso would have launched a new tender to sell off only the cold-rolling section. Even though the government now justifies this decision on the basis of the ruling. Why don’t Decaro, the PD and the trade unions call them out on this? Do they prefer to follow the lead of the courts and environmentalists? Ministers Foti, Abodi and Fitto will be in Taranto today (at the stadium, not at Ilva). If they wished to make their voices heard, the trade unions that have threatened a strike – together with the mayor, Decaro and the entire PD – would have this opportunity. When Renzi and Di Maio came to Taranto, the ‘red zone’ was needed. Today, they’re all at the stadium.