Vatican Secretary of State
Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Wednesday came out in favour of the
grassroots 'Sardines' movement that has sprung up around Italy
in opposition to populist and anti-migrant policies such as
those allegedly carried out by former interior minister and
nationalist opposition League party leader Matteo Salvini.
"I'm not a member of the Sardines (but) I think it is
important to grasp everything that is good also in these
movements and try to valorise it always for the good of the
country," he said.
"That is my wish, that the positive energies be highlighted
above all...that these positive pushes should be placed at the
service of the country's welfare".
The Sardines sprang up in Bologna in mid-November as a
spontaneous response to Salvini's vow to "free" the Emilia
Romagna region of the centre-left politicians who have governed
it for decades, in regional elections in January.
Sardine rallies have since taken place across the length and
breadth of Italy.
There will be a major rally Saturday in Rome's Piazza san
Giovanni, traditional gathering place of the left.
One of the Sardines Roman leaders embarrassed the movement by
appearing to invite the neo-Fascist CasaPound group to take part
in the Rome rally.
This prompted the original four Bologna promoters of the
movement to stress that it is anti-Fascist and will "never" have
truck with groups like CasaPound.
CasaPound has said it will attend the San Giovanni rally
nonetheless.
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