Rome, 14 December (LaPresse) – “I understand why Meloni avoided debating me.” This was posted on social media by M5S president Giuseppe Conte after the prime minister’s speech at Atreju, the FdI festival that ended in Rome. “Meloni, who yesterday failed to appear on stage at her home ground in Atreju for the debate she had challenged me to, gave an hour-long monologue straight from Mars to say that we are strong, that everything is fine, that her new idols are the rating agencies she used to call clowns: unrecognisable,” Conte attacked. She had nothing concrete to propose on salaries, saying that they would increase, on record poverty, over 300,000 migrant landings, an increase in crime and insecurity, 32 months of industrial production collapse, and a boom in layoffs. On the money wasted on centres in Albania, he continues to say “they work” after almost two years of wasting money and law enforcement officers who are needed on our streets'. “After four budget laws signed by him, he is still hiding behind 'super excuses”, whether it be the Superbonus or school desks, and says: we have put that money on the streets. But what if the only construction sites in Italy are the 209 billion we brought in? And they are “construction sites of hope”, for schools, nurseries, hospitals and community homes. Not “construction sites of war” like those of the Rearmament, which you signed without saying a word and with which they would like to write a future in camouflage for our young people," continues the leader of the Movement, adding: 'You said, ‘Thieves, corrupt people and sell-outs disgust us. We will fight them in every way.’ With the Nordio reforms, they warn them before arresting them, while in Sicily, the entire centre-right is under investigation and there are rigged contracts in healthcare, and you don't lift a finger. She also added that her Italy is not subordinate to anyone after signing crazy military spending and cuts to Italians in Europe and promising the US purchases of American gas and weapons and zero taxes for web giants, failing in the negotiations on tariffs." “I understand why she avoided the confrontation: you can say these things if you don't have anyone to contradict you. For those familiar with The Neverending Story, rather than the brave Atreju, President Meloni brought a grey Nothingness to the stage today, made up of rearmament and welfare for the powerful,” concluded Conte.