Talking About Italy

Waiting for the Democratic Drunkard

2011-01-09T21:02:00.004+01:00

(Lorenzo [il Barone] Caleca, Legazzo #87)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - As Italy is going through a difficult time in its 150 years history as a united state (1), the Italian Democratic Party sways and staggers as a drunkard in the street.

In his speech for the New Year, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano appealed to the political system to grant a better future to the young people (2), whose unemployement rate reached 28.9% in November (3).

So far, the Democratic Party was not able to explain how to support students against cuts to University funds, crack down on tax evasion and invest to create new jobs in knowledge-based fields.

Besides, the Democratic Party is facing the struggle on worker rights between FIOM and FIAT lacking of any real political commitment to regulate social conflict, as politics is supposed to do in every democratic system (4).

In Turin, once FIAT's one-company town, the Democratic Party is approaching local elections amidst harsh internal fights and deep political turmoil (5), with both the outgoing mayor Sergio Chiamparino (6) and the most likely candidate to his succession Piero Fassino (7) siding with FIAT against FIOM.

Fearing the judgement of citizens and in spite of celebrating primary elections as the distinctive element of its character, the Democratic Party is now considering to escape them for the choice of its candidate as Prime Minister (8).

In a country where 45% of national income is held by 10% of the population (9) and where tax evasion reaches € 120 bn a year (10), the leader of the main opposition party should not limit himself to make a diagnosis of the problem (11).

While wating for Silvio Berlusconi's fall, Mr Bersani and his brothers in arms should clearly explain which project they have for the future of the country and whom they really want as their allies to come back to power.

__________

(1) Eugenio Scalfari, "E la bandiera dei tre colori è sempre stata la più bella", repubblica.it, January 9th 2011.

(2) Massimo Giannini, "L'appello del Colle per la generazione tradita", repubblica.it, January 2nd 2011.

(3) "Giovani, disoccupazione record. In Italia uno su tre è senza lavoro", repubblica.it, January 8th 2011.

(4) Lucia Annunziata, "A Mirafiori Sinistra impreparata", lastampa.it, January 4th 2011.

(5) Giole Urso, "La strategia del PD per consegnare Torino al centrodestra", piemonteinformato.it, November 29th 2010.

(6) Luca Telese, "'L'aut-aut sul referendum? Un atto di coraggio'", ilfattoquotidiano.it, January 7th 2011.

(7) "Fassino: se lavorassi alla FIAT voterei sì al referendum su Mirafiori", ilsole24ore.com, December 29th 2011.

(8) Ilvo Diamanti, "Il Pd e il grande equivoco delle primarie. La scelta che cambia il futuro del partito", repubblica.it, January 3rd 2010.

(9) Massimo Salvadori, "Generazioni tradite", repubblica.it, January 6th 2011.

(10) Vincenzo Visco, "Manovra economica ed evasione fiscale", lavoce.info, May 28th 2010.

(11) Pier Luigi Bersani, "Bersani: lanciamo la sfida per la riscossa italiana", Il Messaggero (beta.partitodemocratico.it), January 7th 2010.

Do Unions Still Represent Workers?

2011-01-02T10:59:00.010+01:00

(bitchcakesny, Working Class Hero)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - The debate over rights of workers at FIAT burnt up this week.

Following separate deals with FIM-CISL and UILM - two of the main unions of Italian metalworkers - both in Mirafiori (Turin) and Pomigliano (Naples) workers will not choose their own representatives: unions refusing to sign a deal with the employer will indeed not be able to represent workers (1).

FIOM-CGIL - the most representative union of Italian metalworkers - refused to come to a pact with FIAT, claiming that rights are not available for negotiatons (2).

Admittedly, to grant jobs in Italy FIAT is in desperate need of increasing the productivity of work. In 2009, 6,100 workers in Tichy (Poland) were able to make 610,000 cars. Over the same period, in Mirafiori 5,800 workers made 178,000 cars (3).

But is it the price worthwhile for workers?

On the one hand, Tito Boeri explains, labour contracts must be binding and effective both for workers and employers; on the other hand, however, the right to choose the representatives of workers does not belong to the employer (4).

Moreover, as noticed by Stefano Rodotà, FIAT is a company and cannot behave as if it were a legislator (5): CISL and UIL actually look like mismatching democracy with a dictatoriship of the majority.

The truth, in our opinion, is that FIAT has chosen the American capital-centered paradigm once and for all: FIAT came to the rescue of Chrysler, but it looks as if Chrysler bought FIAT (6).

Government and politics were absent (7), while they might have helped FIAT to opt for the German human-centered paradigm.

Is the game lost?

As noticed by Luciano Gallino, FIOM-CGIL is still the main trade union of Italian metalworkers: in the future, its leading presence amongst FIAT suppliers may be decisive (8).

__________

(1) Roberto Mania, "Con le newco del Lingotto arriva il Big Bang sindacale", repubblica.it, December 30th 2010.

(2) G. Pog., "La Fiom proclama uno sciopero di 8 ore", ilsole24ore.com, December 30th 2010.

(3) In Pomigliano, the proportion came to a staggering 5,200 workers for 36,000 cars produced. Read Stefano Feltri, "FIAT, l'ultima spallata di Marchionne", ilfattoquotidiano.it, December 28th 2010.

(4) Tito Boeri, "Le regole dimenticate", repubblica.it, December 29th 2010.

(5) Stefano Rodotà, "Quando il fango cancella la politica", repubblica.it, December 29th 2010.

(6) Massimo Giannini, "Sistema Marchionne", repubblica.it, December 30th 2010.

(7) Salvatore Tropea, "Il lavoro può attendere", repubblica.it, November 6th 2010.

(8) Luciano Gallino, "L'America a Torino", repubblica.it, December 24th 2010.

Related posts in this blog:

"The Happy Protest of Italian Metalworkers", October 24th 2010
"Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road", August 29th 2010
"The Death of Italian Trade Unions", June 20th 2010

Italian Students Revive Giuseppe Garibaldi

2010-12-26T11:55:00.004+01:00

(Giuseppe Garibaldi - Leghorn)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - While Italian Government found it hard to pass the Reform of University at the Senate (1), Italian students protesting against it were able to puzzle the media, proving to be politically intelligent (2).

Maurizio Gasparri, President of Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom Party at the Senate, had previously declared that the most frantic students should be pre-emptively arrested (3), actually tracing out the law issued by the Fascist Regime of Benito Mussolini in 1926 (4).

According to the proposal, an Italian citizen determined to take part in a protest march might indeed be sentenced up to three years of imprisonment and would pay a fine up to € 40,000 (5).

In spite of any provocation, on Wednesday a peaceful, cheerful and imaginative protest took place all over the country, even if fights with the police flare up in Palermo (6).

In Rome, students avoided the 'red zone' in the inner city, marched through the suburbs with citizens cheering them from the balconies and moved on the highway towards L'Aquila, the city struck by an earthquake on 2009 and still inaccessible (7).

In Turin they dressed up like Giuseppe Garibaldi, the hero who unified the country in 1860, entered the Carignano Palace which was supposed to host the Italian Parliament before the capital moved to Rome and simbolically proclaimed their own counter-reform of University (8).

In Milan they blocked the traffic to read the Constitution, while in Naples they blocked the main railway station (9). At the end of the day, the President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano granted audience to a delegation of students, explaining that the country has the duty to listen to their opinions (10).

Even though the Italian Senate approved the reform on Thursday (11), the movement of Italian students now looks stronger than ever.

__________

(1) "Bagarre al Senato: la leghista Rosi Mauro perde il controllo, Schifani fa rivotare gli emendamenti approvati", ilmessaggero.it, December 22nd 2010.

(2) Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "La normalità e la patologia", repubblica.it, December 23rd 2010.

(3) James Mackenzie, "Italian minister appeals for calm before protest", newsdaily.com, December 20th 2010.

(4) Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "Diritto di polizia", repubblica.it, December 20th 2010.

(5) Luigi Ferrarella, "Poteri dello Stato. Il cortocircuito", corriere.it, December 20th 2010.

(6) Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi's woes mount as protests gather pace", ft.com, December 22rd 2010.

(7) Paolo Gallori, "Roma invasa dai cortei. Protesta pacifica, con ironia", repubblica.it, December 22nd 2010.

(8) Ottavia Giustetti and Alessandro Contaldo, "Studenti in corteo come Garibaldini", repubblica.it, December 22nd 2010.

(9) "Milano, gli studenti bloccano il traffico e leggono la Costituzione nelle strade", repubblica.it, December 22nd 2010 and "Corteo degli studenti a Napoli. Occupati i binari della Stazione centrale", ilmattino.it, December 22nd 2010.

(10) Mario Calabresi, "Napolitano: 'Diamo risposte a una generazione inascoltata'", lastampa.it, December 24th 2010.

(11) Eugenio Bruno, "In porto la riforma degli atenei", ilsole24ore.com, December 24th 2010.

{paulginz, "'Democracy' in Italy: 17 motions on university reform in 3 min", reddit.com, December 22nd 2010:

Context

The Italian Senate is voting on amendments to the controversial reform of universities. This reform is causing huge student protests. Rosi Mauro [Vice-Presidentess of the Senate, pictured, from the secessionist party "Lega Padana"] is chairing the vote.

Translation

I'm putting to a vote the amendment 6.21. Who's in favour? Who's opposed? Who abstains? It's approved. 6.303. Who's in favour? Who's opposed? It's approved. 6.23. Who's in favour? Who's opposed? It's approved.

Please, colleagues. The presidency [of the senate] has expressed itself, and expressed itself very clearly. I'll continue with the voting. I'll continue. I'll continue with the voting. No, I'll continue with the voting. The presidency has expressed itself; I said that president Schifani [of the Senate] has been informed. Let's continue, let's continue with the voting.

6.304 is inadmissible. 6.305 is inadmissible. 6.306 No [inaudible] 6.306 is inadmissible. 6.307, motion to oppose. Who's in favour? Who's opposed? Who abstains? It's not approved. 6.24 Who's in favour? Who's opposed? Who abstains? It's not approved. 6.308 Who's in favour? Who's opposed? Who abstains? It's not approved.

Please, the presidency has expressed itself. I'll go on with the voting. I'll go on. [You] also [need to have] respect for the Presidency. I gave you an answer. (x2). You should be ashamed of yourselves.
6.26 motion to oppose. Who's in favour? Who's opposed? Who abstains? It's approved. [She got confused and aproved an amendment she didn't want to]. 6.309 Who's in favour? Who's opposed? It's not approved. 6.27 Who's in favour? Who's opposed? Who abstains? It's not approved. [... same thing for 6.28, 6.29, 6.30 and 6.31]. Bravo, bravo, bravo! [/sarcastic] The Presidency has expressed itself.
6.310 who's in favour? Who's opposed? It's not approved.

Colleagues, good, at this point I call 10min recess. [rings bell] We're in recess.}

Committee of National Liberation Wanted

2010-12-19T14:19:00.028+01:00

(modenaroid, Videocracy 2)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - On Tuesday, December 14th, Silvio Berlusconi survived a dramatic 314 to 311 no confidence vote at the Lower House of Italian Parliament (1).

Tensions rose between opponent fields, the opposition accusing Silvio Berlusconi of having allegedly bought the support of several lawmakers by paying their debts or granting them consistent future incomes (2).

While lawmakers broiled at the Parliament, violence spread in the streets of Rome, where the peaceful protest of Italian students was upset by small groups of masked protesters: 40 people were hurt and 41 were pulled in by the police, which reported 57 officers injured (3).

Gianfranco Fini lost his parliamentary battle: the Lower House speaker, one of Silvio Berlusconi's closest ally for sixteen years, had recently left the ruling coalition along with 30 lawmakers, accusing the Italian Prime Minister to hold power for the sole purpose to defend himself from Justice (4).

His defeat, however, has not made Silvio Berlusconi stronger.

While the Prime Minister is now looking for more invidual lawmakers willing to strengthen his thin majority (5), his main Center-Right opponents - Gianfranco Fini, Pier Ferdinando Casini and Francesco Rutelli - presented a new alliance aimed at replacing his leadership (6).

The battle is over, but war begins.

First: you cannot rule over a € 1,800 bn public debt with a majority of three lawmakers in the Parliament (7).

Second: Silvio Berlusconi walks on the crutches of the Northern League, the xenophobic party led by Umberto Bossi which might benefit most from early elections (8).

Third: even if it is far from finding a common ground to challenge Silvio Berlusconi (9), the Italian Left might soon be forced to close ranks by the prospect of early elections.

How to turn a despotic oligarchy, where lawmakers represent nothing but themselves (10), in a modern democracy?

__________

(1) Gian Antonio Stella, "Nell'arena di Montecitorio", corriere.it, December 15th 2010.

(2) Massimo Giannini, "Scandalo in Parlamento", repubblica.it, December 11th 2010.

(3) Rachel Donadio, "Berlusconi Survives Confidence Vote", nytimes.com, December 15th 2010.

(4) Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi under attack before confidence vote", ft.com, December 13th 2010.

(5) Maurizio Belpietro, "'Gli sfilerò un deputato alla volta'", interview with Silvio Berlusconi, Libero, December 16th 2010.

(6) Massimo Giannini, "La Bastiglia del Cavaliere", repubblica.it, December 16th 2010.

(7) Guy Dinmore, "Roman showdown", ft.com, December 13th 2010.

(8) Alessandra Galloni, "An Italian Fringe Firebrand Gains Votes, Power in Crisis", online.wsj.com, December 14th 2010.

(9) Federico Geremicca, "A Sinistra la resa dei conti", lastampa.it, December 15th 2010.

(10) Ilvo Diamanti, "La democrazia dell'irresponsabilità", repubblica.it, December 13th 2010.

Related articles in English:

Guy Dinmore, "Italy faces prolonged political uncertainty", ft.com, December 14th 2010
Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi appeals to moderates to save him", ft.com, December 14th 2010
Stacy Meichtry, "Italy's Berlusconi faces major test", online.wsj.com, December 14th 2010
Francesca Angelini, "Italy's students fight change", online.wsj.com, December 14th 2010
Michael Stothard, "Italy rallies after Berlusconi survives vote", ft.com, December 14th 2010
Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi clings on to power after vote", ft.com, December 15th 2010
Guy Dinmore, "Italy's bruised politicians set for new battle", ft.com, December 14th 2010
Guy Dinmore, "'Third pole' to challange Berlusconi", ft.com, December 16th 2010

Related articles in Italian:

Curzio Maltese, "Il presepe del Cavaliere", repubblica.it, December 14th 2010
Barbara Spinelli, "Il profeta delle illusioni", repubblica.it, December 15th 2010
Ezio Mauro, "La partita comincia ora", repubblica.it, December 15th 2010
Francesco Verderami, "Sulle elezioni anticipate si rovesciano i ruoli", corriere.it, December 15th 2010
Marcello Sorgi, "A destra vento di elezioni", lastampa.it, December 15th 2010
Mario Calabresi, "Il muro tra politica e Paese", lastampa.it, December 15th 2010
Marzio Breda, "Il pressing di Napolitano per l'impegno del governo", corriere.it, December 16th 2010
Gian Guido Vecchi, "Cei soddisfatta per la fiducia: 'C'è voglia di governabilità'", corriere.it, December 16th 2010

Germany, Europe and the Lame Duck Syndrome

2010-12-12T00:01:00.038+01:00

(Mairead Bushe, The Great British Duck Race)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - Germany, with the support of France, is ready to reject the creation of European Sovereign Bonds at the European Council meeting in Brussels next week (1).

Jean-Claude Juncker and Giulio Tremonti proposed e-bonds issued by a European Debt Agency to ensure the EU a liquid bond market and save member states in risk of default. The EDA would gradually control paper for as much as 40% of the EU GDP (2).

Germany does not accept to merge European public debts on grounds that German citizens would pay for other countries' debts (3). Helmut Schmidt, former German chancellor, accused Angela Merkel not to understand European economy and the Bundesbank to be reactionary (4).

On the one hand, there is no doubt that Germany is the country which gained more from the Euro (5). On the other hand, however, many observers - as the Governor of the Bank of Italy Mario Draghi - believe that single countries can survive debt crisis without external help (6).

The European Central Bank, in the meantime, is buying Portuguese and Irish bonds in order to defend the Euro; but President Trichet is aware politicians have to reform the system as soon as possible, otherwise the indipendence of the ECB would be at risk (7). As outlined by the former Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, "A common currency and single national economic policies cannot coexist" (8).

The Euro seems still to be safe.

The problem is that while Germany is asking to cut deficits, keep the euro exchange rate high and fight inflation, other countries probably believe that growth might be led by the devaluation of Euro and a larger - even if controlled - inflation rate.

Germany should not reject e-bonds, but take the lead of the EU and pretend more warranties to create them.

__________

(1) Peter Spiegel and Quentin Peel, "Merkel rejects debt crisis proposals", ft.com, December 7th 2010.

(2) Jean-Claude Juncker and Giulio Tremonti, "E-bond would end the crisis", ft.com, December 6th 2010. A large synthesis article is also available in Italian: Jean-Claude Juncker and Giulio Tremonti, "Tremonti e Juncker: e-bonds per affermare l'irreversibilità dell'euro", ilsole24ore.com, December 7th 2010.

Jean-Claude Juncker is Prime Minister and Treasury Minister of Luxembourg, while Giulio Tremonti is the Italian Minister of Economy and Finance.

The idea of Euopean Sovereign Bonds was launched in 1993 by the European Commission President Jacques Delors and later by one of his successors, the Italian Romano Prodi, and by Giulio Tremonti itself, as a mean to finance public works in Europe. Recently, it was the former European Commissioner for Competition Mario Monti who proposed this solution to the European Commission President José Manuel Barroso in order to help European countries in risk of default.

(3) Danilo Taino, "La Germania scommete sull'euro: 'Chi vuole il crollo, si romperà la testa'", corriere.it, December 10th 2010.

(4) Andrea Tarquini, "Schmidt attacca Merkel e Buba: "Incompetenti e reazionari", repubblica.it, December 8th 2010.

Helmut Schimdt, as well as French Valery Giscard-d'Estaing, is considered the father of the European Monetary System, which made it possible to launch the Euro. Angela Merkel is the current Chancellor and Prime Minister of Germany.

(5) Vincenzo Visco, "La sfida tedesca all'eurobond", repubblica.it, December 9th 2010.

(6) Ralph Atkins, Lionel Barber and Tony Barber, "Interview with Mario Draghi: Action on the addicts", ft.com, December 10th 2010. This article is also available in Italian: Ralph Atkins, Lionel Barber and Tony Barber, "Intervista a Mario Draghi: l'euro non si tocca ma l'acquisto di bond può minare l'autonomia della BCE", ilsole24ore.com, December 10th 2010.

(7) Ralph Atkins, "Game far from over as Trichet presses for eurozone unity", ft.com, December 7th 2010.

(8) Massimo Giannini, "I 90 anni di Ciampi: 'La politica ha perso il rispetto delle istituzioni'", repubblica.it, December 8th 2010.

Related articles in English:

Paul Krugman, "Freezing out hope", The International Herald Tribune, December 4th 2010
Ralph Atkins, Quentin Peel and Josh Chaffin, "Europe's leaders at odds over bond plan", ft.com, December 6th 2010
Guy Dinmore, "Draghi says Italy needs faster growth to pay back debts", ft.com, December 7th 2010
Peter Spiegel, "IMF calls for 'comprehensive' euro solution", ft.com, December 8th 2010
Martin Wolf, "Is there the will to save the eurozone?", ft.com, December 8th 2010
Moisés Naím, "A wold without Europe", The International Herald Tribune, December 8th 2010
Quentin Peel, "Merkel seeks calm after Juncker's E-bond blast", ft.com, December 9th 2010
David Oakley and Peter Spiegel, "Eurozone bond markets face testing run", ft.com, December 9th 2010
Ousmène Mandeng, "Euro's woes should spark monetary system rethink", ft.com, December 9th 2010
Ralph Atkins, Lionel Barber and Tony Barber, "Draghi warns on bond purchases", ft.com, December 10th 2010

Related articles in Italian:

Paul Krugman, "Il caso irlandese", ilsole24ore.com, December 4th 2010
Eugenio Scalfari, "Le esequie scomposte di un potere defunto", larepubblica.it, December 5th 2010
Romano Prodi, "I meriti della società, lo stallo della politica", Il Messaggero, December 5th 2010
Massimo Giannini, "Un brodino per l'euro ammalato", repubblica.it, December 6th 2010
Rossella Bocciarelli, "Draghi: 'Crescita, rigore, euro'", ilsole24ore.com, December 7th 2010
Dino Pesole, "No tedesco all'agenzia sui bond", ilsole24ore.com, December 7th 2010
Federico Fubini, "La 'Legge Ciampi' e la svolta italiana sul debito europeo che spiazza i mercati", corriere.it, December 7th 2010
Dino Pesole, "Il Trattato va bene per gli E-bond", ilsole2ore.com, December 8th 2010
Guido Gentili, "Un debito che rafforza l'Unione", ilsole24ore.com, December 8th 2010
Gian Enrico Rusconi, "L'euro sfida la leadership tedesca", lastampa.it, December 8th 2010
Vittorio De Rold, "Eurobond, per guardare oltre la crisi", ilsole24ore.com, December 8th 2010
Beda Romano, "Juncker rilancia sugli e-bond", ilsole24ore.com, December 9th 2010
Isabella Bufacchi, "Ora il debito pubblico costa più caro per tutti", ilsole24ore.com, December 9th 2010
Isabella Bufacchi, "All'asta tedesca dei bond sottoscritti 4 miliardi su 5", ilsole24ore.com, December 9th 2010
Vittoria Puledda, "Fmi: sistuazione preoccupante in Europa", repubblica.it, December 9th 2010.
Eugenio Occorsio, "'Il progetto della moneta unica è fallito. Il futuro è un euro del nord e uno del sud'", interview with Luigi Zingales, la Repubblica, December 9th 2010
Marika De Feo, "Trichet: debito fermo solo in Germania e Italia", corriere.it, December 10th 2010
Vittorio De Rold, "L'Europa si divide sugli e-bond", Il Sole 24 Ore, December 10th 2010.
Jim O'Neill, "Sognando un euro forte", espresso.repubblica.it, December 16th 2010

Italian Students Want Their Future Back

2010-12-05T00:01:00.024+01:00

(_ankor, you fight your war)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - Protests against the reform of the Italian University system reached its climax this week: students took control of several universities, occupied monuments, broke into the hall of Italian Senate and keep sleeping on the roofs of public buildings in order to express their disappointment for the bill written by the Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini (1).

The law was approved amid high tensions at the Lower House (2) and was scheduled to be soon examined by the Italian Senate (3). However, the debate over the Financial Stability Law and the upcoming confidence vote on Silvio Berlusconi's Government forced the Italian Parliament to reschedule the debate after December 14th (4).

The reform was proposed in 2008, with the apparent aim to cut waste and promote meritocracy. The Italian Government, anyway, had to put it off to 2010 owing to the protest of thousands of students and researchers.

As outlined by Daniele Cecchi and Tullio Jappelli, the problem is money: at the moment, Italian Universities are working without knowing the amount of funds at their disposal in 2010, while funds for 2011 are being reduced (5). As Italy is cutting university funds, France and Germany are instead investing billion of euros to reform their education systems (6).

Generations of students and researchers are protesting to defend themselves from the insane actions of older generations, which keep power and consider their future a costful threat rather than an indispensible investment.

Italian universities are indeed relatively poor and spend a lot of money to pay old professors hired during the 70's without any specific assessment, while indipendence and competition between universities as well as between professors are low (7).

To reform University, the Government should retrieve funds cracking down on tax evasion and invest in order to establish equal opportunities for students and researchers.

_________

(1) Gaia Pianigiani, "Education protests spread in Italy", The International Herald Tribune, November 27th 2010.

(2) "Camera, passa la riforma Gelmini. Scontro sulle manganellate agli studenti", repubblica.it, November 30th 2010.

(3) Eugenio Bruno, "Il Senato approvi al più presto la riforma Gelmini", ilsole24ore.com, December 2nd 2010.

(4) "Università, la riforma Gelmini slitta", lastampa.it, December 2nd 2010.

(5) Daniele Cecchi and Tullio Jappelli, "L'Università dell'incertezza", lavoce.info, November 26th 2010.

(6) Letizia Gabaglio e Daniela Minerva, "Questa riforma è da riformare", L'Espresso, December 9th 2010.

(7) We posted a larger analysis on this subject here: "A Young Wave Will Sweep You Away", February 11th 2009, talkingaboutitaly.com.

Garbage Hiding Under the Mask

2010-11-28T17:24:00.012+01:00

(Rita Willaert, Napels - Naples)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - The dream is over: the Campania Region sinks into the trash, while citizens protest (1). In spite of Silvio Berlusconi promising that Naples would have been cleaned within three days (2), the European Union reported that the situation has changed very little since 2008 (3).

Meanwhile, harsh tensions rose within the Government (4). Actually, according to Giuseppe D'Avanzo, the Italian Prime Minister would be under blackmail and a faction of his party controlled by the Camorra (5).

The trash crisis in Naples dates back to 1994, when state of emergency was declared and a commissioner appointed to solve the problem (6). Fifteen years later Silvio Berlusconi triumphantly celebrated the end of the crisis (7).

But the truth was deeper.

As masterly demonstrated by Roberto Saviano in "Gomorrah", Southern Italy is overloaded with rubbish coming from Northern Italy: businesses from the rich Po Valley find cheaper to hand over their garbage to the Camorra, instead of abiding the rules to legally dump waste (8).

The documentary movie "Biutiful Cauntri" clearly explains that a fifteen-year-long state of emergency was incredibly lucrative for irregular businessmen, corrupted politicians and the Camorra itself: safety and environmental rules were indeed removed, making the cake bigger than ever (9).

As Sergio Rizzo remarked, the responsibility lies on public administrators, while citizens of Southern Italy had to put up with their decisions (10). All the more reason, the problem concerns Italy as a whole: as Giorgio Bocca wrote, in Northern Italy not only is Mafia visibile, but it rules the roost (11).

Ezio Mauro is right in saying that protests are a gleam of light into the dark: "They told us that there were just the people, standing in permanent and direct dialogue with the leader. Here they are, instead: citizens are back" (12).

__________

(1) Laura Viggiano - Reuters, "Garbage crisis in Naples sparks protests, vandalism", theglobeandmail.com, October 21st 2010.

(2) "Berlusconi: 'Napoli pulita in tre giorni', corriere.it, October 28th 2010.

(3) "Italy: Naples trash crisis 'as bad as 2008' says EU", adnkronos.com, November 22nd 2010.

(4) Silvia Aloisi - Reuters, "Naples trash crisis highlights Berlusconi weakness", thestar.com, November 23rd 2010.

(5) Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "Il premier sotto ricatto", repubblica.it, November 20th 2010.

(6) "Sedici anni di emergenza rifiuti", ilpost.com, October 24th 2010.

(7) "Berlusconi says Naples rubbish crisis is over", euronews.com, March 29th 2009.

(8) On "Gomorrah" by Roberto Saviano, you can read the following review: Rachel Donadio "Underworld", nytimes.com, November 25th 2007.

(9) "Biutiful Countri", a documentary movie by Esmeralda Calabria and Andrea D'Ambrosio, was premiered in November 2007 at the Torino Film Festival, where it received a special mention (wikipedia.org).

(10) Sergio Rizzo, "Il fronte dei rifiuti che divide Nord e Sud", corriere.it, November 26th 2010.

(11) Giorgio Bocca, "Il nord inquinato", repubblica.it, November 20th 2010.

(12) Ezio Mauro, "Il ritorno dei cittadini", repubblica.it, November 26th 2010.

Chickens Come Home to the Roost

2010-11-21T00:01:00.014+01:00

(Felix_Nine, Chaos 4 Fun)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - As the crisis approaches the Parliament, Italy seems beyond a point of no return (1). After passing the financial stability law, on December 14th lawmakers will have to decide whether to pull the plug on the Government or not (2).

As Gianfranco Fini announced in his speech in Perugia, this week officials belonging to Future and Freedom resigned from the Government (3). Moreover, the Minister of Equal Opportunities Mara Carfagna is now threatening to quit (4).

Even though everything seems lost, Silvio Berlusconi is not willing to give up (5). He is now asking for what is constitutionally impossible (6): early elections to be called just for the Chamber of Deputies and not for the Senate (7).

Unfortunately, Italy is facing at the same time a deep political crisis and the world economic turmoil (8): in this context, early elections look incredibly dangerous (9). Given for granted that Silvio Berlusconi will not be able to gain support from the Parliament, his opponents and former allies will have to get together in order to face several emergences.

First, a newly-appointed government will have to reform the electoral law following the French or the German model (10).

Second, the conflict of interest in the media has to be immediately removed (11).

Third, Italy has a lot of work to do in order to redress its economic system and hold down public debt, starting from investing soon in new sectors and increasing the average size of businesses (12).

If Silvio Berlusconi steps down, the Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti might be asked to replace him (13). Otherwise, the Governor of the Bank Italy Mario Draghi is the most suitable candidate to keep together an extremely heterogeneous constitutional coalition (14).

Hard is the road to freedom.

_________

(1) Claudio Tito, "Il momento della verità", repubblica.it, November 13th 2010.

(2) "Camera e Senato: fiducia il 14 dicembre. Bossi: 'Governo fino a 27 marzo'", repubblica.it, November 16th 2010.

(3) Stacy Meichtry, "New Resignations Add Pressure on Berlusconi", online.wsj.com, November 16th 2010.

(4) Carmelo Lopapa, "Mara tradita nell'ultima battaglia: 'Ormai nel partito comandano gli affaristi'", repubblica.it, November 20th 2010.

(5) Marcello Sorgi, "Il Cavaliere tenta la riscossa", lastampa.it, November 15th 2010.

(6) Gustavo Zagrebelsky, "La Costituzione privatizzata", repubblica.it, November 16th 2010.

(7) Stefano Rodotà, "Lo scioglimento ad personam", repubblica.it, November 15th 2010.

(8) Mario Deaglio, "L'Italia nel mezzo di due crisi", lastampa.it, November 13th 2010.

(9) Eugenio Scalfari, "L'ultima minaccia di Mackie Messer", repubblica.it, November 14th 2010.

(10) Giovanni Sartori, "Una repubblica assai confusa", corriere.it, November 18th 2010.

(11) Barbara Spinelli, "L'Italia del sottosuolo", repubblica.it, November 17th 2010.

(12) Gian Maria Gros-Pietro, "Il Paese si svegli, serve una scossa", Il Messaggero, November 15th 2010.

(13) Antonella Rampino, "Veltroni: 'La Lega è cambiata. Vuole Tremonti premier'", lastampa.it, November 21st 2010.

(14) Tonia Mastrobuoni, "Se l'Irlanda precipita Draghi a Palazzo Chigi", il Riformista, November 17th 2010.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Italian

2010-11-14T00:01:00.024+01:00

(Grevel, dozer)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - The crisis of the Italian Government deepened last Sunday, when Gianfranco Fini - Parliament speaker and former ally of Silvio Berlusconi - spoke in Perugia at the first convention of his party, Future and Freedom, asking Silvio Berlusconi to resign (1).

A week later, as Silvio Berlusconi is silently coming back from the G20 meeting in Seoul (2), a motion of confidence called by the Democratic Party and the Italy of Values waits for him at the Chamber of Deputies, while his allies called a rival motion at the Italian Senate, where he looks stronger (3).

The reaction of the financial markets was sharp: the yield on 10-year government bonds rose in a week from 3.93% to 4.287% (4). The President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano was firm in explaining that a government crisis must not come before the Financial Stability Law for 2011 is passed (5).

A formal crisis would probably lead to a Center-Right government held by someone else than Berlusconi (6). Liberation is probably coming, but it is not time to call for a celebration (7): despite his weakness, indeed, Silvio Berlusconi is still the one ready for early elections (8). All the more reasons, his rivals now stand together against him, but they are likely to split again soon (9).

Adriano Sofri wittily explained that it looks as if Italians had to choose between the Constitution and prostitution (10), the dream of Eugenio Scalfari still being too far: Italians choosing between a republican Center-Right government and a reformist Center-Left government (11).

In the meantime, a new goverment will have to face tough economic problems: the lack of productivity (12), the insufficient competition on the service sector (13) and the difficulty for young people to make ends meet (14).

__________

(1) Generazione Italia, "Discorso di Fini alla convention di Perugia - video", generazioneitalia.it.

(2) Francesco Bei, "E Berlusconi fugge da Seul", repubblica.it, November 12th 2010.

(3) "Governo, è guerra delle mozioni", repubblica.it, November 13th 2010.

(4) Read the following articles on the subject:

Federico Fubini, "Mercati in fibrillazione per i titoli italiani: da mesi non succedeva", corriere.it, November 8th 2010
Christopher Emsden, "Berlusconi looks secure, for now, amid attacks", The Wall Street Journal Europe, November 9th 2010
"Lo spread tra Btp e Bund al massimo dall'introduzione dell'Euro", repubblica.it, November 12th 2010

(5) Umberto Rosso, "Napolitano: prioritario approvare la finanziaria", repubblica.it, November 9th 2010.

(6) Marcello Sorgi, "La crisi è aperta", lastampa.it, November 8th 2010.

(7) Massimo Giannini, "E' arrivato il 25 aprile", repubblica.it, November 8th 2010.

(8) Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi thrown a lifeline", ft.com, November 8th 2010.

(9) Massimo Franco, "L'asse del Nord", corriere.it, November 9th 2010.

(10) Adriano Sofri, "L'abuso di potere/10", repubblica.it, November 7th 2010.

(11) Eugenio Scalfari, "L'ultima partita a scacchi del Cavaliere", repubblica.it, November 7th 2010.

(12) Mario Draghi, "Un mix di ostacoli alla competitività", ilsole24ore.com, November 6th 2010.

(13) Bill Emmott, "Made in Italy alla prova della realtà", lastampa.it, November 7th 2010.

(14) Tito Boeri, "Conti, l'inno alla miopia", repubblica.it, November 10th 2010.

Related article in English

"A step too far", economist.com, November 6th 2010

Related articles in Italian

Massimo Giannini, "In fondo al pozzo", repubblica.it, November 5th 2010
Miguel Gotor, "L'italia un satellite immobile senza idee", ilsole24ore.info, November 7th 2010
Carlo De Benedetti, "C'era una volta la buona politica", ilsole24ore.com, November 10th 2010
Jacques Attali, "Il decalogo per salvare l'Italia", repubblica.it, November 11th 2010
Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "L'abuso di potere/12", repubblica.it, November 11th 2010

The Fall of the Night Club Regime

2010-11-07T00:01:00.028+01:00

(Kjpm, Berlusconi?)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - The Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is facing a new scandal. Italian newspapers reported that on May 27th, at night, he called Milan police to ask the release of a 17 year-old Moroccan girl who was under custody for allegedly stealing cash. The girl - nicknamed Ruby - had previously attended parties at Silvio Berlusconi's villa in Arcore (1).

Did Silvio Berlusconi commit an abuse of power? (2) News reports seems at least to show that his court works relentlessly to satisfy his private pleasures (3).

Admitting his acquaintance with the girl, Silvio Berlusconi simply explained that: "it's better to be keen on pretty women than gay" (4). Silvio Berlusconi's homophobia is probably not naive, his strongest supporters being very sensitive to the 'problem' (5).

In the meantime, polls say that if elections were held with the current electoral law, Silvio Berlusconi - helped by the Northern League - would keep control of the Parliament (6).

As depicted by Eugenio Scalfari, a thirty-year-old process of mass distraction has strengthened the worst instincts of Italian culture, which have become dominant and suffocating (7). Sadly enough, as outlined by Mario Monti, the political show going on simply distracts people from economic and social issues which will determine the future of young generations (8).

Unemployment actually affects 26% of Italian young people: if they do not protest, it is just because their families managed so far to help and protect them (9). Besides, according to the President of Confindustria Emma Marcegaglia, Italy is paralyzed (10).

Silvio Berlusconi is not willing to resign (11), but his fall looks like the slow remake of previous films. Benito Mussolini was a bloody tragedy, Bettino Craxi was a lucrative comedy, Silvio Berlusconi is a night club show.

Are we in for freedom or a new dictatorship?

__________

(1) Stacy Meichtry, "Berlusconi under fire over runaway", online.wsj.com, November 1st 2010.

(2) Bill Emmott, "After Berlusconi, there'll be no flood of chaos", timesplus.co.uk, November 1st 2010.

(3) Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "L'abuso di potere/6", repubblica.it, November 3rd 2010.

(4) "Berlusconi - 'Pretty women better than being gay", corriere.it, November 3rd 2010 (translation by Giles Watson).

(5) Stefano Folli, "La Lega resta salda, Fini si allontana. E lo stillicidio continua", ilsole24ore.com, November 3rd 2010.

(6) Emilia Patta, "Sondaggio IPSOS-Il Sole 24Ore: il nuovo centro balza al 21%. Quasi un italiano su due sceglie l'astensione ", ilsole24ore.com, November 3rd 2010.

(7) Eugenio Scalfari, "Il bunga bunga che segna la fine di un regno", repubblica.it, October 31st 2010.

(8) Mario Monti, "Quanto tempo abbiamo perso", corriere.it, October 31st 2010.

(9) Ilvo Diamanti, "L'Italia che si aggrappa alla famiglia", repubblica.it, November 1st 2010.

(10) Nicoletta Picchio, "Marcegaglia: il paese è paralizzato, governo senza iniziativa, servono riforme", ilsole24ore.com, October 31st 2010.

(11) Lorenzo Fuccaro, "Frattini: cancellerie preoccupate? Solo dallo stillicidio sulla stabilità?", Corriere della Sera, November 1st 2010.

Related articles in English

Elisabetta Provoledo, "Fresh scandal circles Berlusconi", International Herald Tribune, November 2nd 2010.
Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi seeks to laugh off latest crisis", ft.com, November 3rd 2010.

Silvio Berlusconi and the Helmet of Mambrino

2010-10-31T00:01:00.045+02:00

(lapidim, Tribute to Don Quijote)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - The future of Silvio Berlusconi is hanging by a thread. While the attention of Italian citizens is diverted by his sexual behaviour (1) and real estate affairs (2), legal problems have become gangrenous (3).

This week Giorgio Napolitano expressed firm disapproval towards a proposed constitutional law which would make the Italian President himself and the Prime Minister repeatedly immune from any legal prosecution. According to him, indeed, the shield law would force the Constitution by subjecting the President of the Republic to the will of the Parliament (4).

Giorgio Napolitano is also said to be worried that a shield extended to the figure of the President of the Republic might make Silvio Berlusconi immune from prosecution until 2020 (5), the shield possibly being part of a larger strategy aimed at leading Silvio Berlusconi to become President of the Republic in 2013 (6).

If repeatable, indeed, the shield might permit Silvio Berlusconi to avoid any trial up to the age of 84, consequently turning immunity into impunity (7). Such a legislating fury is at least suspicious, a different law yet allowing the Prime Minister not to resort to the court if engeged in any official appointment (8).

Moreover, the shield law would immediately put the Italian Prime Minister at the same stage as the President of the Italian Republic (9). In this case, any public conflict would easily turn in favour of the former, which is chosen - though indirectly - through general elections (10).

The picture might not be more vivid: as Giuseppe D'Avanzo wrote, at the end of his political career the Italian Prime Minister is interpreting a tragedy marked by the abuse of power (11).

With the shield law, Silvio Berlusconi is actually putting a colander on his head in order to make his regime eternal.

_________

* "- I say this because, unless I am mistaken, coming toward us is a man who wears on his head the helmet of Mambrino, concerning which, as you well know, I have made a vow.
- Your grace, be careful what you say, and more careful what you do, - said Sancho, - for you wouldn't want this to be more fulling hammers that end up hammering and battering our senses."
(Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quijote, I, XXI, translation by Edith Grossman).

(1) Piero Colaprico «Ruby. "Silvio showed me the Audi and said: 'It's yours'"», repubblica.it, October 29th 2010.

(2) Sergio Rizzo "Gli investimenti di Berlusconi. Ad Antigua ville per 22 milioni", corriere.it, October 17th 2010.

(3) Marcello Sorgi, "La regola e l'eccezione", lastampa.it, October 27th 2010.

(4) Read Al.T., "Scudo, lo stop di Napolitano", Corriere della Sera, October 23rd 2010. Article 90 of the Italian Constitution, concerning Presidential Indemnity, explains that:

"The president may not be held responsible for exercising his duties, except for high treason and attempts to overthrow the constitution.
In these cases, he must be impeached by parliament in joint session by a majority of its members."

(5) Massimo Franco, "Effetti a catena", corriere.it, October 23rd 2010.

(6) Stefano Folli, "Lo scudo sbriciolato all'ombra del Quirinale", ilsole24ore.it, October 23rd 2010.

(7) Luca Ricolfi, "La differenza tra immunità e impunità", lastampa.it, October 23rd 2010.

(8) Pierluigi Battista, "Una lunga stagione da chiudere", Corriere della Sera, October 24th 2010.

(9) Massimo Giannini, "Il nuovo lodo Alfano: un Frankestein costituzionale", repubblica.it, October 23rd 2010.

(10) Eugenio Scalfari, "Il sasso istituzionale e lo tsunami politico", repubblica.it, October 24th 2010.

(11) Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "L'abuso di potere", repubblica.it, October 29th 2010.

The Happy Protest of Italian Metalworkers

2010-10-24T00:01:00.018+02:00

(mcdarius, Happiness)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - On Saturday, October 16th, a huge mass of workers and citizens gathered in Rome to defend the rights of Italian metalworkers following recent labour disputes at FIAT in Pomigliano and Melfi (1). The demonstration was a remarkable success for FIOM-CGIL (2), which suggested a general strike to be called soon (3).

The debate had split Italian trade unions after CISL and UIL (4) accepted FIAT bid to give up the current metalworkers contract in exchange for new investments in Italy, while FIOM-CGIL resolutely refused it (5).

The dispute had become wicked as egg launchers attacked CISL and UIL offices in several Italian cities (6), while CISL Secretary General Raffaele Bonanni was launched a smoke bomb at a public speech in Turin (7). FIOM and CGIL firmly condemned any violent attack (8).

Overtly supporting CISL and UIL against FIOM-CGIL (9), the Italian Government had repeatedly claimed that FIOM protest in Rome might be violent, raising accusations of dangerously fanning the flames (10).

As outlined by Gad Lerner, the quiet atmosphere of Rome demonstration made FIOM-CGIL able to claim the respect of basic rights, such as striking and absenting of work due to illness, which actually are under attack (11).

If on one hand, as the former leader of CGIL Sergio Cofferati remarked, the trade unions are always supposed to defend the rights of workers (12), on the other hand - as Paolo Flores d'Arcais explained - FIOM-CGIL was indeed extremely effective in putting together the rights of workers with Italy's need for growth (13).

The success of FIOM-CGIL represents also a defeat for the Italian Democratic Party (14), which obstinately and ineffectively claims to be equidistant from different trade unions (15). The Italy of Values and Left Ecology and Freedom, instead, happily supported the demonstration (16).

__________

(1) Guy Dinmore, "Protests hit Rome's efforts to cut deficit", ft.com, October 18th 2010.

(2) Founded in 1901 and led by Maurizio Landini, the Federation of Metallurgical Employees and Workers (FIOM) is the metallurgic section of CGIL (Italian General Labour Confederation). CGIL, founded in 1906 and led by Guglielmo Epifani, is the main Italian trade union with an estimated 6 mln members (fiom.cgil.it and cgil.it).

(3) Alessandro Capponi, "Epifani: dal governo risposte o sarà sciopero", corriere.it, Octrober 17th 2010.

(4) Founded in 1948 and led by Raffaele Bonanni, the Italian Confederation of Labour Trade Unions (CISL) is the second Italian trade union with an estimated 4.5 mln members (cisl.it). Founded in 1950 and led by Luigi Angeletti, the Italian Union of Labour is the third Italian trade union with an estimated 1,75 million members (uil.it).

(5) Paolo Griseri, "Tute blu contro tute blu. Così ci si divide in fabbrica", repubblica.it, October 4th 2010.

(6) Roberto Mania, "Nuovo attacco a una sede Cisl. Scritte insultanti e lanci di uova. La Polizia allerta i prefetti", repubblica.it, October 13th 2010. Read also Nicoletta Picchio, "Assalto a Confindustria Padova", ilsole24ore.com, October 14th 2010.

(7) "Festa Pd, blitz dei centri sociali: Bonanni colpito da un fumogeno", lastampa.it, September 8th 2010.

(8) Read Luigina Venturelli, "Nuovi attacchi a Cisl e Uil. Epifani: fatti vergognosi", unita.it, October 13th 2010. Read also Luisa Grion, "Landini: un gesto da condannare ma vero colpo di mano è di altri", repubblica.it, October 1st 2010.

(9) Roberto Mania, "Sacconi: 'A Roma una minoranza radicale inadatta a governare'", la Repubblica, October 17th 2010. Read also Cesare Peruzzi, "La ricetta Sacconi: salario legato alla produttività", ilsole24ore.com, October 17th 2010.

(10) Alberto D'Argenio, "'Corteo Fiom a rischio incidenti'. Bufera sull'allarme di Maroni", la Repubblica, October 15th 2010.

(11) Gad Lerner, "Il valore del lavoro e la politica distante", repubblica.it, October 17th 2010.

(12) Giorgio Meletti, "Cofferati: sto con la FIOM. Il PD? Spero che capisca", ilfattoquotidiano.it, October 14th 2010.

(13) Paolo Flores d'Arcais, "Strategia della tensione", ilfattoquotidiano.it, October 15th 2010.

(14) Dario Di Vico, "Il sindacato metalmeccanico si fa partito e la sua piazza 'cattura' il segretario Cgil", corriere.it, October 17th 2010.

(15) Claudio Tito, "Bersani: Cisl e Uil non hanno tradito. 'Il Pd non sceglie tra i sindacati'", repubblica.it, October 18th 2010.

(16) Luca Telese, "Il Pd scompare, Vendola e Di Pietro ne approfittano", ilfattoquotidiano.it, October 17th 2010.

Italian Democrats Desperately Seeking Identity

2010-10-17T00:01:00.010+02:00

(♥KatB Photography♥, Day 303: My Identity)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - In case of elections, one Italian out of three would not be able to decide whether to vote or not (1). The Democratic Party is credited with a voting intention of 26%, representing just 13% of potential voters (2).

Its supporters look divided when asked what the party should do. Keeping the Italy of Values as the only ally (30%)? Standing alone (27%)? Forming an alliance with different parties: Left Ecology and Freedom (28%)? Union of the Centre (23%)? Alliance for Italy (14%)? Future and Freedom (10%)? (3).

Confusion might not be greater, if some hope in Luca Cordero di Montezemolo - former President of Confindustria - as the best democratic candidate against Silvio Berlusconi (4). The chairman of Ferrari, who was also suggested as the candidate of Future and Freedom (5), denied so far any intention to enter politics (6).

According to the sociologist Ilvo Diamanti, the Democratic Party lacks three key elements: a strong and shared leadership; a few clear political issues; a flexible and open organization (7). The Italian electoral law, instead, encourages the formation of conglomerated political parties lacking any real identity (8).

In 1994 the Italian Left lost the chance to win by giving up making an alliance with the Catholic Center, thus allowing Silvio Berlusconi to come to power. The following attempt to impose in Italy a two-party system was a pure illusion.

The Democratic Party should now reaffirm its lost leftist identity, sharing a credible electoral programme with Left Ecology and Freedom and the Italy of Values. This goal achieved, the party should form a civic platform with the Union of the Center and Future and Freedom to defend the Italian Constitution and beat Silvio Berlusconi once and for all.

But haste is never a good counselor.

_________

(1) Renato Mannheimer, "Urne anticipate, un elettore su tre verso l'astensione", corriere.it, October 3rd 2010.

(2) Eugenio Scalfari, "La Sinistra divisa tra realisti e sognatori", repubblica.it, September 19th 2010.

(3) Renato Mannheimer, "Elettori pd, il 60 per cento vuole andare alle urne", corriere.it, September 19th 2010.

(4) Monica Guerzoni, "Il caso Montezemolo agita il Pd", corriere.it, October 9th 2010.

(5) Alessandro Sallusti, "Fini vuole Montezemolo", ilgiornale.it, October 13th 2010.

(6) Roberto Mania, "'Io candidato di tutti, è ridicolo. La politica è in stato confusionale", repubblica.it, October 13th 2010.

(7) Diamanti, Ilvo, "Alla sinistra della delusione", repubblica.it, October 4th 2010.

(8) Carlo Galli, "Le tre crisi della democrazia", repubblica.it, October 2nd 2010.

Related articles in English

Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi vulnerable to rivals", ft.com, October 12th 2010
Stacy Meichtry, "Fini presses Berlusconi government", online.wsj.com, October 12th 2010

The Disturbing Silence of Italian Public Debt

2010-10-09T00:01:00.004+02:00

(Thomas Hawk, The Circus Boy Is Feeling Melancholy)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - In August the President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso underlined that Italy has a lot of work to do in order to cut debt and deficit an thus restore wealth, even if the banking system, private debt and unemployment are under control (1). By December 2010, about € 70 bn of long term Italian public bonds had indeed to be rolled over (2).

Since the outburst of the world financial crisis, the Italian Ministry of Economy actually worked well, reducing the roll over impact (3) by abstaining from increasing the weight of short term emissions (4).

Nevertheless, the real problem is growth. According to the European Commission, Italian GDP will grow by 1.1% in 2010 (5), but estimates for 2011 are very uncertain: while Government says 1.5%, Deutsche Bank says 0.8% (6).

Studying the effect of a moderate and protracted growth shock of 1% until 2015, the International Monetary Fund concluded that Greece and Italy, having higher pre-crisis debts and larger automatic stabilizers (7), are more exposed than other countries to fiscal risks: even if the outlook is stable, Italian debt-to-GDP ratio is projected at 118.4% in 2010 (8).

The negative effect of public debt is lessened by high private savings: between 1995 and 2009 Italian families increased their assets, which amount to € 140,000 per capita, by 34% (9).

As remarked by Tito Boeri, however, the reformed European Growth and Stability Pact might force Italy to cut its debt by € 50 bn every year until 2020, in order to bring the debt-to-GDP ratio back to 60% in the longer term. Overwhelmingly, though, in his recent speech to the Parliament Silvio Berlusconi did not even mention the problem (10).

Italian citizens are thus in for higher taxes and heavy expenditure cuts, but nobody told them.

__________

(1) Vittoria Puledda, "Barroso: Italia, attenta a debito e deficit", repubblica.it, August 28th 2010.

(2) Isabella Bufacchi, "In scadenza entro l'anno altri 134 miliardi", ilsole24ore.com, August 31st 2010.

(3) Short term emission - such as Italian BOTs - have to be rolled over more frequently, every 3 to 12 months. On the contrary, long term emissions - such as Italian BTPs - have to be rolled over less frequently, every 3 to 30 years. While the financial crisis is straining public finance, countries harshly fight each other to sell their bonds to the financial markets at the lower price: the more risky is a country public debt, the higher is the interest rate it has to grant to investors. The shorter is the debt, the more stressing is the task to find new investors.

(4) Read Isabella Bufacchi: "Aste per 200 miliardi entro fine anno", ilsole24ore.com, September 10th 2010 and "Maratona di emissioni per il Tesoro", Il Sole 24 Ore, September 26th 2010, p. 25.

(5) Adriana Cerretelli, "Migliora la crescita italiana", ilsole24ore.com, September 14th 2010.

(6) Superbonus, "Verso l'apocalisse portoghese del debito", ilfattoquotidiano.it, September 26th 2010.

(7) Automatic stabilizers are tools mitigating the effects of GDP fluctuations on citizens without any direct action needed by the government: during a recession, tax revenues typically tend to decrease since people earn less, while unemployment allowances and welfare expenditures tend to rise since more people are unemployed and need help. The result is a deterioration of public finance, which up to a certain extent can actually be useful to restore the conditions for growth.

(8) Greece, with a negative outlook, has a projected 130.2% debt-to-GDP ratio in 2010. Read International Monetary Fund, "Global Financial Stability Report. Sovereigns, Funding, and Systemic Liquidity", imf.org, October 2010, pp. 6-7.

(9) During the same period, German families increased their assets by 52%, while American families increased their assets by 23%. Private assets stand at about € 121,000 per capita for Germany and at about 101,000 for the U.S. Read Marco Fortis, which shows the results of a research led by Fondazione Edison in "La formica Italia parla un po' tedesco", ilsole24ore.com, September 18th 2010.

(10) Tito Boeri, "I conti pubblici sotto il tappeto", repubblica.it, October 6th 2010.

Related articles in Italian

Massimo Mucchetti, "Quel mezzo punto che non ci consola", corriere.it, September 26th 2010
Giacomo Vaciago, "Quanto debito, figliuolo?", ilsole24ore.com, October 2nd 2010
Stefania Tamburello, "'Conti pubblici al sicuro per il 2010'", Corriere della Sera, October 6th 2010, p. 28
Anna Guanta, "L'Fmi: 'L'economia italiana migliora'", Il Messaggero, October 8th 2010, p. 23
Francesco Verderami, "Tremonti: non ci sono soldi. Gelo con gli altri ministri", Corriere della Sera, October 8th 2010
Roberto Petrini, "Tremonti: ora via alla riforma fiscale", repubblica.it, October 8th 2010

The Italian Night Seems Too Long

2010-10-03T00:01:00.043+02:00

(Robert Crum Photography, Leaning Tower of Pisa at night)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - Last Wednesday Silvio Berlusconi won a confidence vote by 342 to 275 at the Parliament. Even if remarking their distance from the Prime Minister, 38 lawmakers belonging to Future and Freedom and to the Movement for Autonomy decided in fact to keep the Italian Government alive (1).

In his speech to the Chamber of Deputies, Silvio Berlusconi called for unity and claimed success (2), but his words looked extremely surreal in the light of both the harshness of his struggle with the Parliament Speaker and the inconsistency of Government action, mainly in facing organized crime and in improving standards of living in the poorest South of Italy (3).

Silvio Berlusconi's rethoric, as well as a rare direct TV parliamentary session, gave Pierluigi Bersani (the leader of the Democratic Party) and Antonio Di Pietro (the leader of the Italy of Values) a great opportunity to embarrass him on grounds of morality, the Prime Minister having so far envisaged a reform of justice which would grant him total immunity from any legal prosecution (4).

Most of all, as outlined by the Italian writer Roberto Saviano, in a democratic country you are not supposed to buy lawmakers in stock while at the same time swearing faithfulness to the will of voters (5).

The final outcome of the battle was thus a failure for Silvio Berlusconi (6). By voting to keep the Italian Government alive, Gianfranco Fini is indeed taking time to build his own new party (7). As the Economist explained, Silvio Berlusconi and Gianfranco Fini now "sleep in separate beds but, for reasons of convenience, under the same roof." (8).

However, by this time the night seems too long: Gianfranco Fini will sooner or later have to decide whether he really aims to become a statesman or remain a tactician.

________

(1) "Berlusconi, fiducia grazie a FLI ed MPA", repubblica.it, September 29th 2010.

(2) "Berlusconi chiede fiducia alla Camera", ilgiornale.it, September 30th 2010.

(3) Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi survives vote, but dependent on rebels", ft.com, September 30th 2010.

(4) Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "Il ricatto sulla giustizia", repubblica.it, September 30th 2010.

(5) Roberto Saviano, "La macchina della paura", repubblica.it, September 29th 2010.

(6) Marcello Sorgi, "Ha vinto eppure ha perso", lastampa.it, September 30th 2010.

(7) Ezio Mauro, "La fiducia avvelenata", repubblica.it, September 30th 2010.

(8) "Silvio the survivor", economist.co.uk, October 2nd 2010.

Related articles in English

Guy Dinmore, "Berlusconi looks to win confidence vote", ft.com, September 27th 2010.
Stacy Meichtry, "Berlusconi survives key vote", online.wsj.com, September 30th 2010.

Related articles in Italian

Ilvo Diamanti, "Un governo che non fa ma che 'dice' di fare", repubblica.it, September 27th 2010.
Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "La trave dell'off-shore nell'occhio del Cavaliere", repubblica.it, September 28th 2010.
Stefano Folli, "La legislatura adesso è in bilico", ilsole24ore.com, September 30th 2010.
Massimo Franco, "Un Sì avvelenato", corriere.it, September 30th 2010.
"Berlusconi professionista politico", ilfoglio.it, September 30th 2010.
Massimo Giannini, "Ma nell'agenda manca l'Italia", repubblica.it, October 1st 2010.

Italian Parliament For Sale

2010-09-26T00:01:00.013+02:00

(sean_hickin, Horse Trading)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - A few weeks ago, while asking for early elections, the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi claimed that the Parliament Speaker Gianfranco Fini - his former ally and present rival - had to resign (1). His request was far from legitimate, the Speaker as well as any other member of the Italian Parliament being free from imperative mandate (2).

On September 10th, speaking at a conference on democracy in Russia, Silvio Berlusconi reported that the Italian Parliament, the President of the Republic and the Constitutional Court hold too much power and make the Government powerless (3).

Quite surprisingly, then, he concluded that early elections were not needed, the Italian Government being able to easily find support within the Parliament (4). Thus highlighting a usual attitude, he continuously changed position in a very short time (5).

In order to preserve power and escape justice, the Italian Prime Minister now relies on transformism (6): a bunch of MPs - calling themselves the 'Accountables' - would indeed be ready to replace Gianfranco Fini's Future and Freedom votes to keep the Government alive (7).

Imposing party lists whose order cannot be changed by voters, the Italian electoral law has actually turned "the representatives of people into servants at their bosses' command" (8).

According to many observers, Silvio Berlusconi is allegedly buying support from new MPs: as outlined by Massimo Giannini, "the Parliament is used by the Prime Minister as his personal horse trading market, instead of being the place where people's sovereignty really expresses itself and where the elected serve the people" (9).

Silvio Berlusconi is bound to speak at the Italian Parliament next Wednesday, September 29th: every Italian MP has now the duty to listen to his conscience and prove that in Italy justice is still equal for all (10).

________

(1) Stefano Rodotà, "Le regole calpestate", repubblica.it, September 8th 2010.

(2) Giovanni Sartori, "Populismo costituzionale", corriere.it, September 9th 2010.

(3) Andrea Bonanni, "L'esportazione del comizio", repubblica.it, September 11th 2010.

(4) Eugenio Scalfari, "Perché il Cavaliere non vuole più le elezioni", repubblica.it, September 12th 2010.

(5) Filippo Ceccarelli, "I quattro Cavalieri", repubblica.it, September 13th 2010.

(6) Massimo Giannini, "La lezione del Presidente", repubblica.it, September 15th 2010.

(7) Tito Boeri, "Gli irresponsabili", repubblica.it, September 18th 2010.

(8) Curzio Maltese, "Dal dietrofront al mercato dei seggi", repubblica.it, September 5th 2010.

(9) "la Repubblica muore e il senso civico deperisce, quando un'istituzione come il Parlamento viene usata da un presidente del Consiglio come il suo personale 'mercato delle vacche', invece di essere il luogo in cui si estrinseca concretamente la sovranità degli elettori e in cui gli eletti 'servono il popolo'" (Massimo Giannini, "Il mercato del Premier", repubblica.it, September 18th 2010). Massimo Giannini is vice-editor-in-chief at la Repubblica.

(10) Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "Cavaliere, ci dica se la legge è uguale per tutti", repubblica.it, September 21st 2010.

The Roma Connection

2010-09-19T00:01:00.005+02:00

(Nick-K., gipsy kid portrait)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - In an interview to the French newspaper Le Figaro, the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gave his support to the French President Nicolas Sarkozy concerning his policy on immigration: "Ms Reding had better dealt with the issue privately with the French executives before speaking in public as she did. This problem of Roma is not just French. It involves every country in Europe" (1).

Viviane Reding, the European Commissioner for Justice, had publicly expressed her astonishment since this year the French government has deported to Romania and Bulgaria about 8,000 Roma, who actually are European citizens, as if they could be defined criminals just on grounds of their ethnic origin: "This is a situation - she said - I thought Europe would not have to witness again after the Second World War" (2).

On the one hand, as outlined by Barbara Spinelli, Mr Berlusconi's invitation to keep the debate private reveals the idea of a 'secret' Europe, where single States take their decisions privately notwithstanding the EU laws and principles (3). On the other hand, by forcibly repatriating Roma, France is simply following the path opened by Italy in 2002 (4).

Unfortunately, Ms Reding was not pointless in recalling the Nazi genocide of Roma people: the comparison looks indeed not inappropriate if you realize how political parties supporting extremist positions on immigration have been growing in Europe (5).

In France, Nicolas Sarkozy actually looks like adopting ineffective solutions in order to gain popularity at the expense of the Front National (6). As for Italy, at recent elections the racist Northern League got 30% in Veneto and 26% in Lombardy and is decisive in keeping Silvio Berlusconi in power (7).

Instead of fomenting racism, France and Italy should start investing to integrate Roma within their societies (8).

__________

(1) "Mme Reading aurait mieux fait de traiter le sujet en privé avec les dirigeants français avant de s'exprimer publiquement comme elle a fait. Ce problème des Roms n'est pas spécifiquement français. Il concerne tous les pays d'Europe. Il faut donc ajouter ce sujet à l'ordre du jour du Conseil des chefs d'Etat et de gouvernment européens pour que nous en parlions tous ensemble afin de trouver une position commune. Cette question des Roms n'est d'ailleurs pas la seule qui se pose à l'Europe: il y a également l'immigration clandestine. L'Italie est particulièrement exposée du fait de l'étendue de ses côtes. L'Europe n'a pas encore compris complètement qu'il ne s'agit pas d'un problème uniquement français ou italien, ou grec, ou espagnol. Le président Sarkozy, en revanche, en est pleinement conscient. Nous espérons que la convergence franco-italienne aide à secouer l'Europe et à affronter le problème par des politiques communes." (Richard Heuzé et Etienne Mougeotte, "Silvio Berlusconi: 'Je soutiens Nicolas Sarkozy en Europe, au G8 et au G20'", lefigaro.fr, September 16th 2010).

(2) Stanley Pignal, Nikki Tait and Scheherazade Daneshkhu, "Brussels condemns France over Roma", ft.com, September 15th 2010.

(3) Barbara Spinelli, "I nemici del diritto europeo", lastampa.it, September 17th 2010.

(4) According to law n. 189 of December 31st 2002, also known as Bossi-Fini law, in Italy immigrants who are not able to prove that they have a job or a suitable income are not entitled to a permit of stay (Read also Elisabetta Provoledo, "On Roma, Italy acts more quietly", International Herald Tribune, September 4th 2010).

(5) Kevin O'Rourke recently recalled how the Nazi Party got 2.6% at the German elections in 1928, while in recent years the Dansk Fokepartio got 13.9%, the Dutch anti-islamic Party for Freedom got 15.5% and the Jobbik in Hungary got 16.7%. Kevin O'Rourke is Professor in Economics at the Trinity College in Dublin (Kevin O'Rourke, "La recessione aiuta i partiti estremisti", repubblica.it, September 16th 2010).

(6) Christopher Caldwell, "Roma reveal a rootless Europe", ft.com, August 28th 2010.

(7) Rachel Donadio effectively described the recent meeting of Umberto Bossi's party: "The Northern League gathered [in Venice] this past weekend under a blazing sun to celebrate a peculiar late-summer ritual. Stalwarts, dressed in emerald green and some wearing T-shirts with anti-immigrant slogans, poured a vial of water drawn from the Po River into the Venetian lagoon" (Rachel Donadio, "Berlusconi ally savors its rise", International Herald Tribune, September 16th 2010).

(8) Estimates say that about 10 million Roma live today in Europe: in France they are 400,000 (0.62% of total population), while in Italy they are 145,000 (0.24% of total population). According to the World Bank, the annual cost of not integrating Roma in Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and the Czech Republic amounts at € 5.7 billion ("Hard travelling", economist.com, September 4th 2010).

In the Spotless Name of Giorgio Ambrosoli

2010-09-12T00:01:00.008+02:00

(genuine nerd, crack)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - The Italian lawyer Giorgio Ambrosoli was shot dead in Milan on July 11th 1979 by a hired killer landed from the United States.

Giulio Andreotti, Senator for Life and Italian Prime Minister in 1979, declared in a TV programme this week that Giorgio Ambrosoli "went and searched for his death" (1).

An expert in compulsory liquidations, Giorgio Ambrosoli had been chosen in 1974 by the Bank of Italy to collect in the assets and settle all claims concerning Michele Sindona's Banca Privata Italiana.

Michele Sindona, a banker deeply involved with the Sicilian Mafia and a key member of the masonic lodge Propaganda 2, had built an empire by money laundering and investing customer deposits to make business through hundreds of shell corporations throughout the world.

Taking control of Franklin National Bank, the 20th largest bank in the U.S., in 1972 Michele Sindona had become one of the most influential world bankers: at that time, Giulio Andreotti labeled him "the saviour of the Italian Lira".

In 1974 Banca Privata Italiana and Franklin National Bank went bankrupt. Michele Sindona was accused of fraud by the American and the Italian justice. Not only did Giorgio Ambrosoli worked bravely to defend the interests of legal creditors and Italian citizens, but also his deposition at the Franklin National Bank default trial was decisive to prove that Michele Sindona was guilty.

In Italy, Giorgio Ambrosoli was regularly threatened and had to work lonely: while the Italian Government made pressures to save Michele Sindona's empire (2), the Governor of the Bank of Italy Paolo Baffi and the Vice Director Mario Sarcinelli who supported Giorgio Ambrosoli had fallen under accusation for non-existent reasons (3).

In March 1986 Michele Sindona was convicted to life-emprisonment for the murder of Giorgio Ambrosoli. A few days later a mysterious cyanide coffee put an end to his life.

__________

(1) "Certo era una persona che, in termini romaneschi direi… se l'andava cercando" (Giulio Andreotti, interview with Giovanni Minoli, "Qualunque cosa succeda, la storia di Giorgio Ambrosoli", La Storia Siamo Noi, RAI DUE, September 9th 2010).

During the same TV programme the former President of the Italian Republic and Director General of the Bank of Italy in 1979 Carlo Azeglio Ciampi thus remembered Giorgio Ambrosoli: "He has been rightly named the 'Bourgeois Hero', an Italian citizen who puts himself at the service of the State, humbly and overtly accomplishing his duty" (E' stato giustamente chiamato l'Eroe Borghese, Un cittadino italiano che si mette al servizio dello Stato e assolve con umiltà, con semplicità, il proprio compito).

In a letter that he never gave to his wife, Giorgio Ambrosoli proved to be fully conscious of his destiny: "Anna my dear, it is February 25th 1975 and I am ready to deposit the report on the passivity of Banca Privata Italiana. Obviously this act will not satisfy many and it cost me a very hard work. There is no doubt that I will pay a huge price for this. I knew it before accepting this task and as a consequence I do not complain at all, because for me it has been a unique opportunity to do something for our Nation. Remember the days of the Italian Monarchic Union: we aimed, never succeeding, to make politics for Italy and not for the political parties. Well at forty, all of a sudden, I made politics in the name of the State and not for a political party. Whatever will happen, however, you know what you have to do and I am sure that you will be able to do it extremely well. You will have to raise our children and bring them up respecting those values in which we believed. It will be a hard life for you, but you are so skilled that you will always get away with it and, as always, will do your duty whatever the cost".

(Anna carissima, è il 25 febbraio 1975 e sono pronto per il deposito dello stato passivo della Banca Privata Italiana. Atto che ovviamente non soddisferà molti e che è costato una bella fatica. E' indubbio che in ogni caso pagherò a molto caro prezzo il carico. Lo sapevo prima di accettarlo e quindi non mi lamento affatto perché per me è stata un'occasione unica per fare qualcosa per il Paese. Ricordi i giorni dell'Unione Monarchica Italiana, le speranze mai realizzate di far politica per il Paese e non per i partiti? Ebbene, a quarant'anni di colpo ho fatto politica e in nome dello Stato e non per un partito. Qualunque cosa succeda, comunque, tu sai che cosa devi fare e sono certo saprai fare benissimo. Dovrai tu allevare i ragazzi e crescerli nel rispetto di quei valori nei quali abbiamo creduto. Sarà per te una vita dura, ma sei talmente brava che te la caverai sempre e farai come sempre il tuo dovere, costi quel che costi).

Umberto, the youngest son of Giorgio Ambrosoli, narrated the story of his father in the book "Qualunque cosa succeda", Sironi, 2009.

(2) Giorgio La Malfa, "Ambrosoli. Nuovo sgarbo di Andreotti", lastampa.it, September 10th 2010.

(3) Mario Sarcinelli, "Ambrosoli un eroe tragico", ilsole24ore.com, September 10th 2010.

A Man Is Known by the Company He Keeps

2010-09-05T00:01:00.038+02:00

(Olmovich, Refugees in Malta)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - The Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi and the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi met in Rome last weekend to celebrate the second anniversary of the Italian-Libyan Friendship Treaty (1). During the meeting, Colonel Gaddafi allegedly asked the European Union € 5 bn every year to stop illegal immigration from Africa (2).

According to the Friendship Treaty, indeed, Libya was granted the same amount in 20 years as a compensation for colonial occupation (1912-1942): Italy has thus promised to build a 1,700 km highway on the Libyan coast (3). Two routes out three from Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe going through Libya, Colonel Gaddafi has in exchange enforced a severe crack-down on immigration to Italy via the Libyan Sea.

As outlined in a report by Human Rights Watch, regularly “Italy intercepts African boat migrants and asylum seekers, fails to screen them for refugee status or other vulnerabilities, and forcibly returns them to Libya, where many are detained in inhuman and degrading conditions and abused” (4).

Moreover, Libya was granted a privileged access to Italian businesses. Along with several other interests, Libyan sovereign funds presently hold a 7% share in UniCredit, the Italy-based and pan-European banking Group, and a 1% share in ENI, the Italian oil and gas multinational corporation (5).

Given the world financial crisis, formerly worldwide banned Libyan petrodollars were a godsend for Italy, an industrial country traditionally lacking in private capitals and facing a staggering 115% debt/GDP ratio. All the more reason, Italian businesses are said to have been granted new contracts for about € 70 bn (6).

Is there an alternative? Instead of arming Libya against naked hordes of migrants (7), Italy and Europe should invest in local development. Microcredit, healthcare and education are actually able to seed wealth and democracy (8).

__________

(1) Adding disgust to shame, the visit of the Libyan dictator rose particular concern on the Italian media because Colonel Gaddafi gave a lesson on Islam to 500 Italian young women who had been paid by a recruiting agency to attend the event (Associated Press, "Italian models praise Gadhafi", online.wsj.com, August 30th 2010).

(2) Nicoletta Picchio, “Gheddafi: con le aziende italiane altre commesse nella difesa”, ilsole24ore.com, August 31st 2010.

(3) Sergio Rizzo, "Ma gli investimenti in Libia sono ancora a corrente alternata", corriere.it, August 30th 2010.

(4) Human Rights Watch, "Italy/Libya: Migrants Describe Forced Returns, Abuse", hrw.org, September 21st 2009.

(5) Ettore Livini, "Un business da 40 miliardi per la Berlusconi-Gheddafi spa", repubblica.it, August 28th 2010.

(6) Vittorio Feltri, "Non si fanno affari con Gheddafi? Ma andate a Ramadan", il Giornale, August 29th 2010.

(7) Antonella Rampino, "Armi e aerei per lo shopping del colonnello", lastampa.it, August 29th 2010. Read also Luisa Leone, "I tre assi di Finmeccanica in Libia", MF, September 1st 2010.

(8) Those who think the local development approach to be naïve should instead reflect on how important where UNRRA and Marshall Plan to promote the democratic development of Western Europe and grant the American world leadership following World War II (Read, for instance, William I. Hitchcock, Liberation - The Bitter Road to Freedom, Europe 1944-1945, London, Faber and Faber, 2009, pp. 446).

Even if present conditions are different, Europe might as well profitably lead the development of new economies and internal markets in Africa, a role which - at that moment - has actually been fully taken up by China. As a mere example, the adoption and implementation of agroforestry systems is pushing back the desert and dramatically improving living conditions in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali.

The effects of these techniques, which happen to be costless and need nothing but farmers' education, are clearly visible from the satellite: it is estimated that in the sole Niger farmers were able to grow 200 million of trees, thus restoring and fertilizing 3,125 sq km of previously wasted land (Read Mark Hertsgaard, "Comme le Sahel reverdit", Le Monde diplomatique, August 2010, p. 19).

Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road

2010-08-29T00:01:00.001+02:00

(hexodus, Three Yugos)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - "You cannot set the basis of the future by thinking that there is still a struggle between capital and work, owners and workers", explained FIAT CEO Sergio Marchionne during a public speech in Rimini this week (1).

The statement came at the climax of a debate over the case of three FIAT workers who had been fired in July on grounds of sabotage and were then prevented from actively returning to work, in spite of having been reinstated by the court of Melfi (2).

FIAT - whose sales last month fell by 32% in Europe - is desperately trying to establish a full time production system in Italy, in order to increase competitiveness on its main and less proficient market. This approach, however, happens to be extremely vulnerable to strikes.

Some observers actually wonder whether FIAT is simply looking for a pretext to dismantle Italian plants and move production to other cheaper European countries, such as Serbia (3).

FIAT is actually stuck in the middle between two paradigms which are poles apart. From 2004 to 2009, the car industry based in Turin seemed to head for the German paradigm (4), where workers and trade unions take part in drawing strategic decisions while innovation and high profit vehicles allow higher wages and better working conditions.

After taking over Chrysler in 2009, however, Mr Marchionne showed to prefer the American paradigm, where workers are supposed to accept any top-down corporate strategy to keep some sort of internal welfare and hold company shares as a relevant integration of their salary (5).

Even though denying social conflict, FIAT is instead taking its naturally disruptive role in it.

The real problem is that the conflict lacks the arbiter: Italy has no Minister for Economic Development since May, when Claudio Scajola handed in his rather tragicomic resignation.

__________

(1) "Non è possibile gettare le basi del domani continuando a pensare che ci sia una lotta tra 'capitale' e 'lavoro', tra 'padroni' e 'operai'". Sergio Marchionne, "Stop alla lotta tra padroni e operai", lastampa.it, August 27th 2010.

(2) As explained in a press release by FIAT Group, the company is actually waiting for the Court of Appeal to reverse the first sentence: "The company, confident that the Court of Melfi will successfully establish the truth, reaffirms its belief that the actions adopted in relation to the three workers are legitimate and that at the hearing set for the 6th of October it will be able to fully demonstrate that the actions of the three strikers constituted a willful and protracted obstruction of production that was illegal and did not constitute the legitimate exercise of the right to strike" ("Statement from SATA", fiatgroup.com, August 24th 2010). For a full description of the case, read "Melfi, reintegrati gli operai licenziati", repubblica.it, August 10th 2010.

(3) Luciano Gallino ("Cosa vuole il Lingotto", repubblica.it, August 11th 2010) and Gad Lerner ("Il diktat di Marchionne", repubblica.it, August 24th 2010).

(4) An interesting analysis of the German and the American paradgim in relation to FIAT was made by Massimo Mucchetti, "Ecco dove c'è da imparare. La lezione di tedeschi e americani", Il Corriere della Sera, August 25th 2010.

(5) Giuseppe Berta recently outlined the main characters of the American paradigm, ofter referring to change management at FIAT-Chrysler, in three articles published by Il Sole 24 ORE:

"Marchionne a tappe forzate", sole24ore.it, August 12th 2010
"I nuovi modelli di management alla scuola di Detroit", ilsole24ore.it, August 20th 2010
"Il sindacalista con vista sul futuro", ilsole24ore.it, August 26th 2010

Related articles in Italian

Fausto Bertinotti, "La rivoluzione reazionaria di Marchionne", ilmanifesto.it, August 6th 2010
Romano Prodi, "Auto, l'innovazione vera sfida da vincere", Il Messaggero, August 6th 2010
Giorgio Cremaschi, "Il regime di Marchionne e Confindustria", Liberazione, August 14th 2010
Luciano Gallino, "Lotta di classe", repubblica.it, August 22nd 2010
Paolo Griseri, "'Così Marchionne danneggia l'azienda. Pronti a ricucire ma sui diritti non cediamo'", interview with Guglielmo Epifani, repubblica.it, August 23rd 2010
Franco Debenedetti, "Senza tregua non c'è crescita", ilsole24ore.com, August 24th 2010
Paolo Griseri, "I tre nodi di Marchionne", repubblica.it, August 25th 2010
Paolo Griseri, "La metamorfosi di Marchionne. Dall'elogio dell'etica all'Ok Corral", repubblica.it, August 26th 2010
Gad Lerner, "Sergio, il marziano tra Hegel e Pavese", repubblica.it, August 27th 2010

You Shall Have No Other Prime Minister Before Me

2010-08-22T00:01:00.042+02:00

(Lord Jerome, Televisión escolar)

[Edoardo Montenegro - Turin] While the coalition which brought Silvio Berlusconi back to power in 2008 is falling to pieces, the Italian Prime Minister insists on saying that early elections are the only legal alternative to his government.

"A fundamental root of liberal democracy - he declared on Friday - resides indeed in the respect of popular sovereignty, and there is no legal or political theory which might justify a government made by those who were defeated at the elections" (1).

The Italian Prime Minister seems to ignore that Italy is a parliamentary republic. According to the Italian Constitution, indeed: "Members of Parliament represent the Nation; they are free from imperative mandate." (Art. 67).

Moreover, "The President appoints the Prime Minister and, on his advice, the ministers." (Art. 92.2), while "Government has to enjoy the confidence of both Chambers." (Art. 94.1). As a consequence, the President calls for new elections only if the Parliament is not able to sustain any other government.

In an interview released to l'Unità last week, the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano firmly declared that in case of a government crisis he will "make every step the Constitution and the procedure inspired by it clearly dictate" (2).

"Now the attack dogs have been unleashed" noticed The Economist (3), explaining how the vice-president of the People of Freedom at the Lower House, Maurizio Bianconi, accused the President of betraying the Constitution in a subsequent interview to Il Giornale, a newspaper owned by the Prime Minister's brother (4).

In order to hold his position, Silvio Berlusconi is now claiming that the 2005 electoral law allows citizens to choose the Prime Minister. He is thus affirming that a matter-of-fact constitution has replaced the Italian Constitution...

Conscious of his defeat, the Italian Prime Minister appeals his beloved viewing public: media dictatorship will be his ultimate political delirium.

__________

(1) "Una radice fondamentale della democrazia liberale, infatti, risiede nel rispetto della sovranità del popolo. E non c'è nessuna teoria giuridico-politica che possa giungere fino a giustificare un governo di quanti sono usciti sconfitti dalla competizione elettorale". tv.repubblica.it (video by SkyTg24).

(2) "Le mie responsabilità istituzionali entreranno in giuoco solo quando risultasse in Parlamento che la maggioranza si è dissolta e quindi si aprisse una crisi di governo. Compirò in tal caso tutti i passi che la Costituzione e la prassi ad essa ispiratasi chiaramente dettano". Marcella Ciarnelli, "Si fermi la campagna dei veleni", interview with Giorgio Napolitano, unita.it, August 13th 2010.

(3) "Slinging dirt", economist.com, August 21st 2010.

(4) Paola Setti, "Finge di rispettare la Carta, ma la tradisce", interview with Maurizio Bianconi, ilgiornale.it, August 15th 2010.

Related articles in Italian

Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, "La politica curi la politica", corriere.it August 14th 2010
Massimo Giannini, "Macelleria istituzionale", repubblica.it, August 17th 2010
Curzio Maltese, "I difensori della democrazia", repubblica.it, August 18th 2010
Angela Manzella, "La saggezza della Carta", repubblica.it, August 20th 2010

GDZKSMWNSH7T

The Italian Two-Party System Is Dead

2010-08-15T00:01:00.002+02:00

(tarotastic, Three Is A Magic Number)

While waiting for the fall of Silvio Berlusconi's government, the Democratic Party is incredibly motionless.

Pierferdinando Casini's Union of the Center and Gianfranco Fini's Future and Freedom are making the first difficult steps to form a 'third pole' aimed at gaining support from the two main pillars of the current government: Confindustria and the Catholic Church (1).

On the contrary, the Democratic Party stands still. Having spent three years following a demagogic 'stuck in the middle' strategy, the party is imprisoned in the false myth of a non-existent two-party system which should oppose the Democratic Party itself to Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom.

As explained by Curzio Maltese, instead, "What we had in Italy since 1994 is not a two-party system [...] A false two-party system such as ours could produce nothing but waves of transformism, hundreds of cases of coat-change inconceivable for any other western democracy" (2).

The Democratic Party should thus open itself to society and tell straightforward its plans for the future to the Italian citizens. As Eugenio Scalfari warned, "If the party keeps itself within the limits of its members and its oligarchy, the game is lost" (3).

Having denied this priority for a while, the party has eventually the duty "to fight the 'Cavaliere' on grounds of public ethics, legality and the formation of public opinion through the media" (4). The Italian Parliament may indeed take down the government, but it will not be able to remove the conflict of interest still making Silvio Berlusconi a media-tycoon as well as a political leader.

Moreover, even though Italy needs a new government, early elections are still the strongest option on the field: as asked by Luigi De Magistris, Italian MEP for the Italy of Values (5), the Democratic Party has to accept the challenge of coalition primary elections.

__________

(1) Guy Dinmore and Giulia Segreti, "Italian 'third pole' to challenge Berlusconi", ft.com, August 12th 2010.

(2) "Quello che abbiamo avuto in Italia dal '94 a oggi non è bipolarismo. [...] Un falso bipolarismo come il nostro non poteva che produrre ondate di trasformismo, centinaia di cambi di casacca impensabili nelle altre democrazie occidentali". Curzio Maltese, "La catastrofe da evitare", repubblica.it, August 6th 2010.

(3) "Se il partito resta nei limiti dei soli iscritti e dell'oligarchia che ne è l'espressione, la partita è chiusa". Eugenio Scalfari, "Il bastone della Lega deciderà la partita", repubblica.it, August 8th 2010.

(4) "combattere il Cavaliere sul terreno dell'etica pubblica, della legalità, della formazione dell'opinione pubblica attraverso i media." Barbara Spinelli, "La sinistra non tiene il passo di Fini", stampa.it, August 8th 2010.

(5) Marco Lillo, "De Magistris: 'Mi candido se Tonino dice sì'", interview with Luigi De Magistris, ilfattoquotidiano.it, August 12th 2010.

It Is Time for a New Government

2010-08-08T00:01:00.040+02:00

(Thomas Hawk, Game Over)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - On Wednesday the Italian Government won a motion aimed at dismissing Giacomo Caliendo, an Undersecretary for Justice accused of belonging to a secret organization. Nevertheless, it proved to have lost parliamentary majority, the motion being rejected with 299 votes to 229 and 75 abstentions since Future and Freedom - led by the former ally Gianfranco Fini - decided to abstain (1).

The Italian Government will thus find very hard to survive as far as September: "It is over. The ghost ship of Berlusconi's government is drifting" explained Massimo Giannini (2). The President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, might soon have to check whether the Parliament is able to support a new government or it is time for early elections.

Even though divided, opposition parties could agree to support a new prime minister. Given that "it is urgent to dismantle the method of government put into practice during these years" (3), the country has to face two hanging problems: to begin with, € 100 bn of public debt expiring in October might put Italy under severe pressure on the financial markets (4); secondly, the current voting system prevents citizens from choosing their representatives, thus weakening any prospective winner.

Many observers see in Mario Draghi, the Governor of the Bank of Italy, the best candidate to replace Silvio Berlusconi as Prime Minister. Mr Draghi might indeed succeed in keeping public debt under control and in restarting the fight against tax evasion, while the Parliament should focus on reforming the voting system.

In the meantime, as arguably outlined by the Times, and sadly enough: "As Europe emerges from recession, Italy finds itself in a lonely, weak position. It has avoided the debt crisis that Greece brought on itself, but it is barely more stable. It lacks any voice in the big debates" (5).

__________

(1) Christina Passariello and Margherita Stancati, "Berlusconi prevails in vote", wsj.com, August 5th 2010.

(2) Massimo Giannini, "Le anime morte", repubblica.it, August 5th 2010.

(3) Nadia Urbinati, "La politica dell'antistato", repubblica.it, August 3rd 2010.

(4) Eugenio Scalfari, "Dove porta il Paese l'avventura del Cavaliere", repubblica.it, August 1st 2010.

(5) "Berlusconi's Reckoning", timesplus.co.uk, August 3rd 2010.

Berlusconism 2.0

2010-08-01T00:01:00.009+02:00

(BFLV, Transformers Be@rbrick)

[Edoardo Montenegro - Turin] It is time for a showdown between Silvio Berlusconi and Gianfranco Fini.

Following his public attack on April, Gianfranco Fini moved away from the political scandals strangling the People of Freedom, regularly recalling the constitutional principles of morality and democratic freedom (1). The 'P3' scandal was the point of no return: politicians and businessmen close to Berlusconi are indeed accused of trying to influence judges to grant the premier immunity from prosecution (2).

As outlined by Adriano Prosperi, the cancer affecting the country is eventually appearing, breaking the shield built by televisions and newspapers: "the transformation of public position in private benefit, the use of political power as a mean to escape justice, to commit criminal actions of blackmail, to decide political success as well as political misfortune" (3).

Beset by internal accusations, Silvio Berlusconi thus decided to expel Gianfranco Fini from the party (4). The price to pay is high: 33 deputies have joined the group "Future and Freedom", founded by Fini (5). Besides, according to a research by Renato Mannheimer, one Italian out of five would be ready to vote for a new moderate party (6).

Forza Italia was born as Silvio Berlusconi's private property: as explained by Nadia Urbinati, turning into the People of Freedom the party never evolved into a liberal political entity. Ceasar does not tolerate any internal dissent (7).

The end of Silvio Berlusconi, which is yet to be proven given his huge mediatic and economic power (8), might not determine the end of Berlusconism: as the ship begins to sink, mice are ready to turn their coat in search for a new master.

As a matter of fact, the ground that allowed the weed to grow has not changed: familism, clientelism and transformism are still the three main pillars of Italian culture.

__________

(1) "P3, affondo di Fini al Pdl: 'Chi è indagato lasci l'incarico'", unita.it, July 26th 2010.

(2) Dinmore, Guy, "Crises forces Berlusconi to cancel summer holiday", guydinmore.wordpress.com, July 16th 2010.

(3) "La loro azione si è basata su di un principio che sempre più si rivela il vero cancro del sistema che avvolge la società italiana e ne sta dissolvendo le fondamenta: la trasformazione dell'ufficio pubblico in beneficio privato, l'uso del potere politico come strumento per sfuggire alla legge, per compiere criminali operazioni di ricatto, per determinare fortune e sfortune politiche". Prosperi, Adriano, "La ragnatela occulta", repubblica.it, July 28th 2010.

(4) Bracconi, Marco, "Berlusconi rompe: finiani fuori dal partito", repubblica.it, July 29th 2010.

(5) Telese, Luca, "Finiani in libertà", ilfattoquotidiano.it, July 31st 2010.

(6) Mannheimer, Renato, "Per il 'terzo polo' un potenziale del 22%", corriere.it, July 26th 2010.

(7) Urbinati, Nadia, "Cesarismo democratico", repubblica.it, July 26th 2010.

(8) Stille, Alexander, "E' finito Berlusconi?", July 26th 2010, stille.blogautore.repubblica.it.

Friends Will Be Friends

2010-07-04T00:01:00.010+02:00

(gualtierocatrame, Ricordando Giovanni Falcone*)

[Edoardo Montenegro, Turin] - People of Freedom Senator Marcello Dell'Utri has been sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment for collusion with Mafia by the Court of Appeal of Palermo (1). Mr Dell'Utri had previously been sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment by the Tribunal of Palermo on December 2004 (2).

A close friend to the Italian Prime Minister (3), Marcello Dell'Utri was born in Sicily in 1941. Having worked for Silvio Berlusconi during the '70s, he later became President of Publitalia, Mr Berlusconi's advertising company. In 1993, Marcello Dell'Utri had a key role in the foundation of Forza Italia, the political party which successfully launched Silvio Berlusconi as Italian Prime Minister at the General Elections of March 1994 and which got 60 parliamentary seats out of 60 in Sicily at the General Elections of 2001.

Debating the case, the public prosecutor Nino Gatto brought evidence of the alleged relationships between Marcello Dell'Utri and Cosa Nostra (4), asking the Court of Appeal to increase the previous sentence from 9 to 11 years of imprisonment (5). The Court actually rejected the accusations concerning the period following 1992 as "non-existent", thus reducing the jail sentence. Given the punishment cut, the verdict was represented as a matter of fact absolution by TG1, the main Italian TV news program (6).

The Sicilian Senator, who claimed his innocence, reaffirmed that a member of the Mafia dead in 2000, who had worked as a groom at Silvio Berlusconi's residence in Arcore during the '70s and was later sentenced for drug-trafficking, extortion and murder, Vittorio Mangano, is his personal hero, because he refused to accuse him while paying for his sins in jail (7).

To be put into effect, the sentence has still to be confirmed by the Cassation Court. History and literature will not forget to tell the rest.

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(*) "Those who nod and shut up die every time they do it. Those who talk and keep their head up die only once (Giovanni Falcone)". Judge Giovanni Falcone was killed by the Mafia on May 23rd 1992, 57 days before his friend and magistrate Paolo Borsellino was killed too, on July 19th 1992. The instigators of the two murders are still unknown.

(1) "Dell'Utri condannato a 7 anni in appello. Il senatore: 'Una sentenza pilatesca'", ilsole24ore.com, June 29th 2010.

(2) "Dell'Utri condannato a nove anni per associazione mafiosa", repubblica.it, December 11th 2004.

(3) Giuseppe D'Avanzo, "L'anello di congiunzione tra i boss e il Cavaliere", repubblica.it, June 30th 2010.

(4) Peter Gomez, "Marcello Dell'Utri e i boss di Cosa Nostra. Dalle agende alle intercettazioni, ecco le prove", ilfattoquotidiano.it, June 24th 2010.

(5) Salvo Palazzolo, "'Dell'Utri il tramite della mafia'. Il pm chiede 11 anni di carcere", palermo.repubblica.it, April 16th 2010.

(6) Carlo Ciavoni, "Il giornalismo secondo Minzolini. Nel TG 'sparisce' la condanna per mafia", repubblica.it, June 29th 2010.

(7) Paolo Colonnello, "I miei giudici, onesti ma senza coraggio", interview with Marcello Dell'Utri, lastampa.it, June 30th 2010.

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Do Unions Still Represent Workers?

Italian Students Revive Giuseppe Garibaldi

Committee of National Liberation Wanted

Germany, Europe and the Lame Duck Syndrome

Italian Students Want Their Future Back

Garbage Hiding Under the Mask

Chickens Come Home to the Roost

The Unbearable Lightness of Being Italian

The Fall of the Night Club Regime

Silvio Berlusconi and the Helmet of Mambrino

The Happy Protest of Italian Metalworkers

Italian Democrats Desperately Seeking Identity

The Disturbing Silence of Italian Public Debt

The Italian Night Seems Too Long

Italian Parliament For Sale

The Roma Connection

In the Spotless Name of Giorgio Ambrosoli

A Man Is Known by the Company He Keeps

Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road

You Shall Have No Other Prime Minister Before Me

The Italian Two-Party System Is Dead

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