If it weren't for Saint Francis and his values, it would be a torpedo. So Beppe Grillo's excommunication of Alessandra Todde and the Sardinian Five Star Movement (which is never named) is an excommunication. The founder recalls the principles that inspired the first movement, those dictated by Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, better known as Saint Francis of Assisi. And, by contrast, on the day of the celebration of Italy's patron saint, he publishes, with the names, surnames, and amounts, the salaries (some of them) of the staff members of the Sardinian regional president and councilors, appointed thanks to the seat-filling law passed by Christian Solinas, contested by the Five Star Movement when they were in opposition and implemented en masse when they themselves took over the island's government. And there are "emoluments" totaling over half a million euros.
Grillo recalls: "The values and principles of Saint Francis inspired a political force, founded on October 4, 2009 , whose vision was to serve institutions to improve the lives of citizens, rather than aiming for personal enrichment." On the island, it seems things went differently.
The father (with Casaleggio) of the Five Star Movement reconstructs: "In the spring of 2021, in Sardinia, the center-right Solinas government approved Legislative Decree 107, which the opposition dubbed the 'seat-filling law', as it allowed for the 'multiplication of seats' by assigning consultancy positions on a fiduciary basis and with compensation in some cases even higher than that of senators and national deputies. The then opposition (Five Star Movement, Democratic Party)," he emphasizes, " strongly contested this law, observing that it would have resulted in increased expenses for the region of 'at least six million euros'— six million euros taken away from healthcare, family support policies, and the island's development."
And what happened with the change in government in 2024? "The consultants represent an addition to the existing staff. For a political force inspired by Saint Francis, if it had ever governed Sardinia," reflects Beppe Grillo, "the first item on the agenda should have been precisely to abolish this law."
But no. That law "has been exploited. By the very people who wanted to abolish it. Today is October 4th. And everything is fine. I know that our Sardinian friends are particularly proud of their beautiful land, and they don't want to hear about 'colonialism', about people coming 'from the mainland'. On the regional government's website, we can see some of the positions assigned by the new government, with their CVs and salaries."
For example, " Jacopo Gasparetti, born in 1996, is the holder of TD Contract no. 134, prot. 17622 of 04/30/2024, which for the period 2024-04-30 – 2029-02-25 provides for a gross compensation amounting to €592,591.41. " The comedian rewrites it in letters: "Five hundred and ninety-two thousand five hundred and ninety-one euros and forty-one cents."
Then, "Mariassunta Matrisciano, a former Senator of the Republic, is cited: she instead holds contract TD no. 138 prot. 17631 of April 30, 2024, which provides for the same amount: €592,591.41 for fifty-eight months. This equates to a gross salary of €10,217.09 per month, or ten thousand two hundred and seventeen euros and nine cents. Each month. For comparison, the current gross salary paid to Senators of the Republic is €10,385.31, just €168.22 more."
The Region's official website also lists the (gross) compensation paid to external consultants and collaborators under Co.Co.Co. agreements "working in the Cabinet Offices. For example, Luca Caschili," Toodde's right-hand man, "thanks to contract 13/16157 of April 18, 2024 , received €39,691.59 for the first quarter of 2026. Thirty-nine thousand six hundred and ninety-one euros and fifty-nine cents. For one quarter, or three months. €13,230.53 per month, which in this case is €2,84.22 (gross) more than a senator of the Republic." Then there is "Cinzia Pilo, already a candidate in the European elections, holder of contract 29/45725 of 15.12.2025, received in the first half of 2026 instead the gross amount of only 38,435.60 euros, thirty-eight thousand four hundred and thirty-five euros and sixty cents".
There are about a hundred such collaborators. And the amounts "are perfectly legitimate, paid to people who will obviously pay taxes on top of them, and who will do their job excellently." But, he bitterly concludes, "today is October 4th. And everything is fine. Because no one says anything about the principles and values of Saint Francis. And that's precisely the problem."