Italian politics and culture: a shared stagnation

The article examines the intertwined crises of Italian politics and culture, arguing that the focus on appointments and positions ("poltrone") by both government and opposition distracts from genuine cultural production. It posits three possible outcomes of the current nominating spree at the Ministry of Culture: nothing changes, revealing the ineffectiveness of most appointees; no new talents or ideas emerge, confirming a decline in cultural cultivation; or, counterintuitively, new and previously unknown artists and visions arise, challenging the dominant political narrative. The third scenario, though seen as threatening by current political factions, is presented as the only path to growth. The article criticizes the transformation of cultural reflection into social events and the stagnation of theaters, which have become homogeneous and lost their role as inclusive spaces. It calls for a renewed intellectual class capable of provoking thought, similar to once-controversial 20th-century figures. Currently, no such renewal is visible, and the only benefit Italy can claim is the benefit of the doubt.