Radical Renzi Promises Rapid Reforms for Italy
That’s it. Today, the latest Italian government headed by the non-elected Matteo Renzi won a second confidence vote in Italy’s lower house. Last night, Renzi’s squad also managed to win a confidence vote in Italy’s upper house where the Italian prime minister’s PD party holds much more slender majority. Once all the under-secretaries have been […]
Matteo Renzi – Messiah or Devil?
At 39, Italy’s newest Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, is the youngest premier Italy has ever had. Opinions in Italy, though, are distinctly divided on whether his leadership will be good or bad for Italy. The fact that Renzi is Italy’s third unelected prime minister has put many people’s noses out of joint, and unhappy noses […]
Italy’s Prime Minister Enrico Letta Resigns
The situation had become increasingly tense. Matteo Renzi, the leader of Italy’s PD Democratic Party who also doubles as the Mayor of Florence piled pressure on Italy’s current prime minister Enrico Letta, a member of the same political party, to go. A feud developed but it ended today – just one day after Letta presented […]
Italian Politics – Chaos as Usual
Sparks are flying right, left, centre and everywhere in the confusingly complex and chaotic world of Italian politics. Last week, the speaker of Italy’s senate overruled a decision not to pursue a civil action for damages against Silvio Berlusconi in connection with allegations that he’d bribed a senator. This caused much annoyance in Berlusconi Forza […]
The “Barbaric” 5 Star Movement
Sparks flew in Italy’s parliament last week when scuffles broke out after a filibustering attempt by the 5 Star Movement was scuppered. The speaker of Italy’s lower house, Laura Boldrini, forced a vote on laws designed to recapitalise Bank of Italy and to provide funding to allow Italy to avoid asking its citizens to pay the […]
The Ball is in Italy’s Court
A year ago I thought French President Francois Hollande might be starting to get the balance between austerity and growth right. I thought Italy still had the opportunity to learn from France’s continuing problems and even overtake France as the Number Two economy in Europe. It was clear to me that Berlusconi had been driving […]
Out of Order Italy’s Little Distractions
While Italy’s government should be forging ahead with major structural reforms, it isn’t. No, instead the government is allowing itself to be detracted but all manner of other minor issues which have little bearing on Italy’s future. Meanwhile, unemployment has hit record levels and Italy’s discouraged businesses seem highly reluctant to invest. So grim is […]
Will Renzi Rock Italy in the Right Direction in 2014?
In the turbulent, confusing, slow as molasses world of Italian politics, something seems to be stirring. Actually, stirring things up is the new, young, leader of Italy’s generally uninspiring, if well meaning, centre-left PD party. The new broom in Rome is called Matteo Renzi. He also doubles as the Mayor of fascinating Florence. But will […]
Will Italy’s Police Turn on the Government?
Worries are growing that Italy’s police – the polizia – not the semi-military Carabineri – may turn on Italy’s government. What sparked concerns were incidents during ‘pitchfork’ protests during which riot police removed their helmets in what was widely interpreted as being a show of solidarity with the protesters. Other reports suggest that the police […]
