2018 – A Big Year For Italy
While it may not be apparent, 2018 is going to be an important year for Italy. In March, general elections are to be held. Nobody knows who might win but the leaders of the political pack are the upstart Five Star Movement and, would you believe it, a hotchpotch far to moderate right wing alliance […]
Italian referendum – Why Italians Voted No
Really, Italy voted ‘No’ to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi – resignation pending. The final result of yesterday’s referendum on proposed constitutional changes was 59.11% of votes being cast to say ‘No’ to the changes and 40.89% to say ‘Yes’. While Italians in Italy voted to reject the reform, 64.7% Italian’s abroad voted to accept it. Voter […]
What Donald Trump’s Victory Means for Italy
While it may not be immediately obvious, the victory of Donald Trump in the USA’s presidential elections is likely to affect Italy. As you may know, on December 4th, 2016, Italy is holding a referendum on reforms to its constitution. Without going into details of the reform, Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi stated initially that […]
Italy’s Role in an Uncertain Europe
2017: Elections in Germany with Angela Merkel likely to suffer reduced support even if re-elected. Elections in France with Francois Hollande not expected to be returned. The right on the rise in The Netherlands, Germany, France, Austria and elsewhere; much of it in response to Merkel’s miscalculation on the migrant refugee issue. Hungary openly opposed […]
Goodbye Mr Renzi?
Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi is in big trouble. After transforming an upcoming referendum – date still unknown – into a pro or anti Renzi vote, he’s discovered that not as many people like him as he hoped. I read an article in Italian on Mr Renzi which stated that there are those who want […]
Italy Premier Renzi’s Endgame
What is Italy’s Matteo Renzi’s endgame? So far, despite his government’s reforms, Italy still hasn’t really dragged itself out of recession. Last year’s GPD growth at 0.8% was less than stellar. Italy’s 2016 GDP growth might be slightly over 1%, then again, it might not. Whatever happened to the ‘recovery with a bang’ that Mr […]
Matteo Renzi versus Italy’s Chat Shows
It’s like old Berlusconi times. Italy’s prime minister of the moment, Matteo Renzi, is most unhappy that some of the nation’s political chat shows are painting his management of Italy in a less than rose-tinted light. Like Silvio Berlusconi who was well known for his dislike of unfriendly television coverage, Mr Renzi wants Italy’s television […]
Thoughts on Italy’s 2015 Regional Election Results
Stephen Lusher, the former Australian politician who contributes to Italy Chronicles, found the results of recent regional elections somewhat perplexing. He asked me for my opinion on the outcome, so here are my thoughts for Stephen and anyone else who is interested. First of all, voter turnout. At around 50%, it was hardly spectacular but one […]
Berlusconi Sings a Renzi Attacking Swan Song
Speaking at a regional election rally, former Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi criticized the violence with which current Prime Minister of Italy Matteo Renzi has been forcing his will on Italy’s parliament. Mr Berlusconi has also accused Mr Renzi leading Italy down an authoritarian path, which, it has to be said, is more or less what he himself wanted […]
