Enrico Letta

"As Bersani said, we consider it legitimate that, like any defendant, Berlusconi should defend himself in court and against the trial. Of course, legitimate does not mean appropriate or fitting for the behavior of a statesman..."

"(About the Democratic Party) We are not a beached whale; instead, we must become like Nemo the fish."

"Primary elections are not mandatory. If winning meant not holding them..."

"The government will fall next week; it is clear that it is now hanging by a thread."

"I continue to believe that trade unions and politics should remain independent. Just as politics should not interfere in the decisions of trade unions, trade unions should not interfere in the internal decisions of political parties."

"We are willing to go beyond Berlusconi and work with a government led by a responsible person such as Roberto Maroni."

"(About the death of Mino Martinazzoli) We mourn the loss of a great teacher and an irreplaceable political and cultural figure. From today, we are more alone."

"Deep sadness at the passing of Scalfaro. He taught us sacred respect for institutions. He defended and served the Constitution above all else."

"We are linking the economic recovery of our country to Expo, and this means that everyone must commit themselves. The Expo will be at the heart of the recovery and will be successful if it becomes a symbol of national unity. For this reason, I guarantee the total commitment of the government."

"Italy must emerge from its state of underestimation and self-harm, and Expo will be the perfect opportunity to do so."

"I said it in the policy speech on which the Government won the vote of confidence, and I repeat it here today: the positive solution, with the return home of marines Latorre and Girone, is a commitment of our Government."

"I would like to ensure that the new party is constructed somewhat like the encyclopedia Wikipedia, somewhat like a painting by Van Gogh. As with Wikipedia, in the PD each of the hundreds of thousands of participants must contribute their own skills, which in certain fields are certainly greater than mine and those of the center-left leaders. And, like Van Gogh's paintings, the new party must have strong colors: a yellow that is yellow, a blue that is blue."

"The ISAF mission must come to a successful conclusion: we are part of a system in which everyone plays their part. No free country can shirk its commitment to stabilizing peace. Only with NATO, the UN, and the European Union can we work together to resolve the problems caused by terrorism and the absence of peace."

"The ISAF mission will end in 2014, after which our presence will be completely different, dedicated to training Afghan forces. The extent of our presence will be discussed bilaterally and, of course, in the Italian Parliament. We intend to reassure Karzai that we want to ensure a future of economic progress for the country in our mutual interest."

"Here, I want to tell everyone: I didn't write Jo Condor on my head. I learned it as a child and I'll prove it when the time comes, in the sense that we'll play offensively."

"We place our complete trust in you, President Napolitano, with the same fervor as Pope Francis when he addresses the Almighty."

"In Sochi, I will reiterate Italy's opposition to any discriminatory legislation against gay people, both in sports and outside of sports."

"[...] I hate House of Cards. I think it's the worst television drama that could possibly be broadcast. The idea of politics that comes out of it is a politics made up entirely of intrigue and terrifying things."

"I am unable to give Renzi's government a rating. Fortune favors the bold, and Renzi, who is undoubtedly talented and bold, has been fortunate."

"The Jobs Act was a step forward, but it wasn't enough: much more needs to be done in the workplace because the real problem today is unemployment, and workers who have lost their jobs need to be protected. There is still not enough protection in place. More protections need to be added."

"(About the fall of Kabul in 2021) The escape from Kabul and the tragedy of a people. Twenty years of wrong choices, in which we too, unfortunately, played a part. The West is falling apart. And we are only at the beginning of the disasters to come."

"You have a clear choice: either you're over there with Meloni and Salvini, or you're over here, and over here there's only us. The PD will be the leading party."

"The start of this legislative term is the worst possible. It begins with inflammatory rhetoric from those who won the elections. Instead of bringing peace to the country, the winners are dividing it. But those who sow the wind will reap the whirlwind. I invite you to consider that this method is truly wrong. It destroys any possibility of a relationship between the majority and the opposition, which is a relationship in the interest of the country. These are choices that shift the majority even further to the right and send a message that confirms the worst concerns around Europe. I wonder what perverse logic lies behind these appointments, which go against the interests of the country."

"I don't think this majority is capable of providing the country with a stable government. They are only capable of giving the country internal strife and permanent conflict. This is the opposite of what the country needs right now. We are close to a recession, there is a war between Russia and Ukraine, and an energy crisis. We need a government that governs, not an executive that spends its time arguing."

"We must push harder on Europe for integration, to achieve more results, to be able to answer concrete questions. The decisive factor for Europe to function in an enlarged scenario is to eliminate, once and for all, the right of veto and the unanimity rule. This is the only way to work together. The right of veto is never used for the general interest. It is always a tool used to gain advantages for oneself, for short-term or personal interests."

"The issue of the agreement with the center is strategic for us. With this electoral law, there is no room for a third position. If the new pole does not join us, it will inevitably be reabsorbed by the other side. A third pole that goes it alone, or an isolated radical left like that of Vendola, would emerge from the polls with little more than a right to a platform."

"The current leadership groups have a historic responsibility; this is our last chance to avoid being overwhelmed. Losing again to Berlusconi would mean depriving the country of its last chance to avoid the impending decline. Polls and common sense suggest that the PD allied with Di Pietro and Vendola would lead to the prime minister's re-election, so we need to build something broader."

"When I think of a new Prodi, I think of someone who has to imagine three missions. To put forward a package of proposals to give young people hope again in terms of housing, work, and family. To bring investment in knowledge back to the center and build a tax system that helps those who want to do something."

"To beat Berlusconi, we will have to jump through hoops, and we cannot start off crippled. The right wing sees an alliance between us and the third pole as a smokescreen..."

"Vendola is a media phenomenon, not a well-established political figure. In the region, the radical left has very little influence and is not a decisive force."

"The 1980s were years of euphoria. The 1990s were years of austerity. The 2000s were the years of recklessness. The 2010s begin at a crossroads: decline or reawakening."

"The Italian drama is the difference between the thirty-somethings of the boom, who had children, multiple jobs, and supported their parents, and today's thirty-somethings, who have few children, no jobs, and are supported by their parents, perhaps with severance pay. We are selling off the silverware. We must give jobs to young people, aged 20 to 25. At any cost."

"Federalism is positive, as long as it is not considered a banner for Umberto Bossi to wave during election campaigns."

"I find it incomprehensible and unbelievable that Italy, and to some extent Europe, should have to follow the follies of one person Matteo Renzi. But the situation today is very different. Back then, he was the secretary of the Democratic Party, but today he is the leader of something smaller than the PSDI."

"Back in February last year, Renzi was already trying to bring down the Conte government, and the crisis was prevented by the arrival of COVID in Codogno. This is the story, proof that his criticism of the Recovery Plan is instrumental."

"It seems to me that Renzi has definitively opted out (of the Conte government) and politics is not a Neapolitan drama. The moment you decide to break away, it's over. He should ask himself why there is no leader or foreign newspaper that agrees with him and why only 10% of Italians think he is doing something intelligent."

"Conte is the head of government and he is the only one who can lead Italy this year. I don't see how he can be prevented from doing so. I'm not saying that this government has been perfect, but the main issue now is how to manage the pandemic, the economic crisis, vaccinations, and the recovery. A government in crisis carries out routine administration, while today we need a government of extraordinary commitment, and I think this is also in the interest of the opposition."

"There are three elements that Putin may not have anticipated in his reckless decision: he was confident of a quick victory, that he would encounter few problems in a territory he already considered ‘his home’, and that he would be met with a weak response. This has not been the case. The entire world is turning against him. His image, which was even positive in certain circles, is now negative for everyone."

"Here, they want to turn Ukraine into a new Belarus. Today, Putin is a new Lukashenko, a dictator. It is a watershed moment in history."

"This is a confrontation in which the principles of freedom and democracy are at stake; indeed, the European Union itself is at stake."

"Putin must now be stopped. What he has done cannot be excused by any historical reason; it is of endless gravity. It is the most significant event of this century since September 11. I make this comparison not because I consider the Russian president a Taliban, but because of the earthquake he is causing in international relations."

"(About Vladimir Putin) He has always had a connection with that historical logic, but I was surprised by his irrationality, his thinking that he could get away with it, that the Russian people would not suffer serious consequences that will last for a long time. [...] Frankly, I cannot see where such a plan will lead. And I believe that, in the long run, it will also cause Putin internal management problems in a country that has indeed restored its budget, but which has a very weak structure, with a GDP lower than that of Italy, a country that is all about energy and weapons and has failed to diversify its economy."

"We are proud to have supported the government of Mario Draghi, a government of which we were a committed and successful part. (p. 95)"

"You gave a speech that speaks to a part of Italy steeped in identity. (p. 95) (Addressing Giorgia Meloni)"

"On the subject of taxation, we understood only one word: amnesties, amnesties, and amnesties. (p. 96)"

"Let me say that the biggest disappointment is to hear that the cornerstone of your environmentalist speech was the phrase: “There is no ecologist more convinced than a conservative.” No, let me say that this is not the case: Bolsonaro is a conservative, not an ecologist; Trump is a conservative, not an ecologist; the Poles of the PiS party are conservatives, not ecologists. (p. 97) (Addressing Giorgia Meloni)"

"We have no problem with the word “merit,” but we have a very clear and simple point: the word “merit” in our Constitution is in Article 34; the principles of solidarity and equality are in Articles 2 and 3, and the point is very clear. (p. 97)"

"Winners normally always try to rewrite history, and you have tried to rewrite the history of the last decade. (p. 97) (Addressing Giorgia Meloni)"

"[...] during the election campaign, Letta was unable to give a single reason why people should vote for the Democratic Party, only reasons not to vote for the others."

"Letta is only a transitional leader for a temporary government [the Letta government] with a specific agenda. He will not be useful a second time. For the future, I imagine Gianni Cuperlo as party secretary [the Democratic Party] and Matteo Renzi at Palazzo Chigi."