Michela Di Biase, it’s time to break

This article is published in Vanity Fair issue 2-3 on newsstands until January 18, 2023

“Arrogance left on horseback and returned on foot.” Michela Di Biase pronounces the last sentence of her speech and applause thunders from the benches of the left. He is referring to the government’s anti-rave decree under discussion in the last days of the year, a “Trojan horse” which also contains the reinstatement of no-vax health personnel and prison benefits for mafia prisoners who do not collaborate. “Mine is a serious opposition,” explains the newly elected Pd deputy. Which he puts into practice, every day, also through the wisdom of his grandmother Giuseppina, from Molise. “I didn’t mention her in court, but she taught me how to do it. The reasons for this decree do not hold up, we are making proposals to improve the rules, not to obstructionism: not listening to us is arrogance”.

She is now in the Chamber but entered active politics at the age of 26, in the VII municipality of Rome, then in the city council. How was the political passion born?
«At the classical high school, in Centocelle. We did self-management, demonstrations, a lot of student activism. My friends are still the ones I met then.”

Did you live in Centocelle?
«No, in the Alessandrino district. Fifteen years ago it was still considered countryside. A place inhabited by families, with many problems, from transport to social decay. I lived there for thirty years, the last ones doing politics».

Not exactly leftist radical chic.
«I invite anyone who says so to take a trip to my area (laughs, ed)».

She graduated in History and Conservation of Artistic Heritage. But nothing is known about her before her. Is it true that she was also in the fire department?
«Yes, at the age of 25 I did the civil service. I was fascinated by firefighters, I worked there for many years
mother and I had always had the myth of these courageous people… Then it was also an opportunity to get to know the public administration from the inside, and I liked the idea of ​​giving a year of my life to others. Not that I went out to put out fires, I had a uniform, yes, but I was in charge of administrative tasks. While I was graduating it also served to put away some money, they were convenient: I had been living alone since I was 18″.

Where is it?
«In the house where I grew up, with my sister Francesca who is 14 months older than me».

Where were his?
“They separated and went elsewhere. They were very intelligent in managing the situation, they didn’t cause us to experience trauma, we were fine”.

Did you have fun with your sister?
“We studied and did a thousand jobs. She’s livelier than me, I gave myself the rules, I’ve always been a gendarme».

In the City Council he opposed Mayor Virginia Raggi, as he does today against Giorgia Meloni.
«For me it is positive that women are elected, it is in any case a sign of equal opportunities. Having said that, the opposition is based on facts, and both with Raggi and with Meloni we are light years apart ».

You also founded the Fare association, an acronym for Feminist, Environmentalist, Radical and Europeanist: why?
«It happened before the pandemic, two and a half years ago. At the time they were still issues that weren’t talked about in my party».

Yet this is the Parliament with 31 per cent of women: the lowest figure in twenty years. Things haven’t changed.
“He’s absolutely right.”

Even in the Democratic Party there are few women, and never in key roles. Is that why you decided to support Elly Schlein as party secretariat?
«No, I support her for her ideas, for her ability to be understandable, because she has the courage to affirm feminism, because she tries to combine the difficulties of this historical period with growth. You are a well-prepared, structured person who comes from an important history of regional administration. And then you are radical, you say things forcefully ».

What do you mean by “radical”?
«That today there is a need for a break, even on the left. I’ll give you an example that I think fits very well: a year ago an entire occupied building was without light, the people in the cold. The Pope’s almsgiver climbed down the manhole and unsealed the meters. He was radical, he made a strong gesture, but sometimes there is no other way ».

Do you think Schlein is understandable to the electorate?
«Absolutely yes: many have pointed out to me how you talk about complicated topics, but in reality they are topics that the new generations know and understand».

Young people are not thought of because they vote less.
“Precisely. Maybe it’s time for the Democratic Party to go back to talking to them».

Bonaccini also claims discontinuity with the management team.
«Yes, but Schlein represents an indisputable moment of rupture due to age, personal history, political positions».

There is more discussion about who supports Bonaccini or Schlein rather than the ideas of the left…
“I’m interrupting you, excuse me. There is no debate about Bonaccini. On Schlein yes, and I think it is
determined by the fact that she is a woman. There’s a morbid curiosity about her, one always wonders if he’s capable of her: if he were a man this wouldn’t happen.’

Do you recognize that there is also a morbid attention towards Giorgia Meloni as a woman? When, for example, you brought your daughter to the G20…
“Surely. In that case he was unfair, if he thought it appropriate to bring his daughter in that circumstance, no one had to say anything ».

Do you know her personally?
«I met her when she too was in the City Council in Rome. As I said, I welcomed the election of the first woman as prime minister. After that, one she is a feminist not because she gets there first, but because she gets the others to get there too. Just her, who could lead by example, what does she do as the first move? She calls herself masculine. What is not named in the language does not exist. Feminists have taught us that there are also “patriarchy policewomen” who carry on macho stereotypes».

Hillary Clinton said a few months ago that women of the right “are protected by patriarchy because they are often the first to support the fundamental pillars of male power and privilege”. Agree?
“Yup. Now there is a woman prime minister and she has an enormous responsibility, also towards us: we would like to hear her support for the campaigns that concern women ».

She has a seven-year-old daughter, Irene. How does feminism instill her?
«Children are sponges, Irene is the one who lives. She is in second grade and in school books there are still skits like: “Mum cooks and dad reads the newspaper” … ».

And what does she say?
«I open the debate. During the weekend, when I have time to help her with her homework, if I come across these things I ask her: “Irene, have you seen what’s written? But does it seem true to you?” In short, it was not my life – I am the daughter of a worker, and I survived – and it is not life or the world that she will live. And in any case, it’s not just me, she also has two sisters aged 34 and 27 who are very combative ».

What is your relationship with the other two daughters of your husband, Dario Franceschini?
«Great, they are two very intelligent girls. It all came very naturally.”

Her and her husband’s birthdays are two days apart: do you celebrate together?
“Never. I always say: in life we ​​only remember holidays and travels. I’m someone who wants a birthday all to herself. Dario, on the other hand, does not like to celebrate his birthday. So I organize mine then, sometimes, treacherously, I have organized it for him as well».

You are 22 years apart. I guess it’s not a problem for you, but do you ever think about it in relation to her future as a child?
«For the couple’s relationship obviously it is not: jokingly I tell him that I feel the difference in age, in the sense that he is the immature one. If instead I think of Irene, this is a very delicate question. Before I feared nothing, but when she was born many fears unleashed me, I became more vulnerable, perhaps. Everything you imagine can disturb her serenity is clear that it lays you bare. But then I think of one thing».

say.
“I have seen many young fathers who are disinterested in their children. Instead, one thing I’ve always really appreciated about Dario was how he related to his other two daughters, his desire to grow up with them».

Franceschini five years ago told a Vanity Fair: «The moment will come when they will write “husband of”. I look forward”. Is that happening now that you’re in Parliament?
«She tells me the same… But if it happened, perhaps it would help all those women who have always felt defined by the man they married, or gave birth to, or had as a father or brother. The truth is that if we did another job, the issue of who obscures whom, or who influences whom, would not really arise».

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