Roberto Giachetti Ends Hunger Strike, Sparking Urgent Reactions on RAI Oversight Board

Roberto Giachetti, an MP for the opposition centrist Italia Viva (IV) party, has ended his protest against an ongoing 20-month gridlock in the parliamentary commission responsible for overseeing the State broadcaster Rai. Giachetti took an extreme approach by chaining himself to his bench in the Lower House while undergoing a hunger and thirst strike. Gratefully acknowledging support from Premier Giorgia Meloni, Giachetti highlighted the Prime Minister's encouragement to four center-right Rai oversight board members to ensure a quorum at the next meeting. 'I also thank the Prime Minister who called me today to whom I explained my reasons which I believe she understood,' he remarked, expressing appreciation for her intervention. Despite the ongoing opposition, which includes members from Meloni's Brothers of Italy (FdI), Forza Italia (FI), and the right-wing League party, Giachetti found a silver lining as they agreed to facilitate the quorum. 'Before worrying about my health, we need to worry about the health of democracy,' he emphasized. After 12 days on hunger strike, Giachetti disclosed that he had lost around five kilograms, opting to resume his diet with baby food. 'What will I eat tonight? We always start over light, so I think baby food,' he said, acknowledging the support he received from the Speaker of the Chamber and medical staff. Expressing gratitude towards various political forces and his party leader Matteo Renzi, who showed concern for his wellbeing, Giachetti declared the suspension of his thirst strike. While he acknowledged that not all his objectives had been fulfilled, he found that the majority's recent commitments aligned with some of his demands. His nonviolent protest aimed to unblock the Rai oversight, appoint a president, and resume discussions in the Senate regarding RAI governance. A significant advance was noted with the Ministry of Economy and Finance's willingness to engage, indicating that Economy Minister Gianfranco Giorgetti would be heard in the near future. 'Engaging in nonviolent initiatives also requires the intelligence to recognize positive developments,' he stated, opting to pause his protests while monitoring the situation. The Rai journalists' union, USIGRAI, commended Giachetti's actions as essential in advocating for democratic principles, expressing concern over the extreme measures taken to restore normalcy in governance. 'It's a disturbing sign of the times when people resort to extreme measures to demand respect for a normal democratic principle,' USIGRAI's statement read, calling for urgent action to unblock the important oversight body. In response to Giachetti's protest, RAI oversight commission Chair Barbara Floridia organized a meeting for May 27, emphasizing that this reopening should be substantive and not a mere formality. She described Giachetti's drastic actions as disappointing, underscoring that a member of parliament should not have to resort to such extremes to have a commission meeting convened. Fears linger regarding the ongoing inactivity of the commission, which prevents the election of a new RAI president. Currently, Rai has been without a proper president since Marinella Soldi exited the position in 2024. President Sergio Mattarella has previously called for an end to this deadlock, with little effect. In a rather unconventional revelation, Giachetti mentioned that he purchased the handcuffs utilized for his protest from a sex shop, humorously adding that he had taken precautions by wearing a nappy to avoid restroom breaks during his strike. 'I thought of everything,' he said, starkly illustrating the lengths to which he had gone to advocate for his cause. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2 • Source 3