There was a time, in recent Italian history, in which all citizens, from left to right, from liberals to communists, felt unrepresented by the old parties, the institutions, and politics in general.
So they started looking around, looking for alternatives.
One of these alternatives was a new, fresh party, with socialist ideals, who spoke of the people, help for families, national prestige, and a motherland mocked by foreign powers.
This time was during the early '20s, and that party was the Fascist party.
Mattarella's decision to block the government has brought us closer to that time than we have ever been.
Di Maio has called for all Italians to display a Tricolor outside of their homes as a visible form of protest, and is calling everyone to participate in a protest in Rome.
Salvini spoke of a 'terrible day forand democracy', and of 'no fear, only anger'. In a video with hundreds of thousands of views he repeatedly said we are no longer a democracy.
Today all I could hear at work, and on my lunch break, were people arguing about the issue. Most of them were vehemently against the President.
Even a coworker who voted PD agrees that it was unacceptable.
Before today, there was a chance we could have just waved our dick around in Brussels and got what we wanted and called it a day, but I don't that's on the table anymore.
Salvini has gone on record saying that if Berlusconi gives trust to Mattarella's government, the right coalition is done for.
He even said that Lega may formally ally with M5S at the next elections (which will happen in Autumn).
It's now certain that VAT will go up to 23% and cause a new recession.
Now since Forza Italia is dead I'm calling 70%+ for Lega and M5S, maybe even 80 if we throw in FdI.
The problem? Mattarella will still be there and will still try to stop a eurosceptic government.
At that point I honestly don't know what will happen, but it's not gonna be pretty.
It's going to be a wild fucking ride.