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Ideas on Italy

by Alberto Spektorowski, Tel Aviv University (2003) 
 

Free Thinking

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Politics.jpgItalian political life is once more on the move. Sixteen years after the disarticulation of the power scheme that governed Italy since the end of WWII, Italians demand again for radical change in the leaderships governing public life. In 2008, the sunset of a twisted bipolar system is raising expectations for recoverying civic qualities in the public arena, swiping structural reforms of the institutions and the economic and social systems, and reinserting criteria of meritocracy and transparency in the management of the country. Repositioning shakes the whole Italian society, from politics to finance, from culture to sport, from industry to religion. However, it is commonly felt that traditional oligarchies can still maneuver and puppeteer the country for a while. Watching at Italy is twofold exercise, pathology and anatomy. 
 
Italy Watch is a users-developed, open , re-search , debate and information area. The Italy Watch Platform integrates collaborative -  Wikibee - and community - Be-a-Bee -  applications. 
 


The World Condemns Rome, But Europe Is The Problem

By Barbie Nadeau, Newsweek

The trendy Rome neighborhood of Pigneto was invaded last month by swastika-wearing thugs who beat Chinese, Indian and Bangladeshi shopkeepers and chanted "Get out, bastard foreigners." Coming after violent attacks on Romas in Milan and Naples, the attacks were condemned by authorities but also, it seems, inspired by them. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi came to power promising to get tough on immigrants, and rules in coalition with the Northern League, which has called publicly for violence against immigrants. Rome's new mayor, Gianni Alemanno, won on a plan to expel 20,000 immigrants and so far has expelled several hundred.

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Italy: The north-south divide
by Eric J Lyman for ISN Security Watch
In the days after Italy's right-of-center voters emerged victorious from the latest round of national voting it became clear that the next battle for control of Italy will not be between the country's left and right, but rather its north and south.
After a solid victory in Italy's 13-14 April elections, billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi is set to become Italy's prime minister for the fourth time. But Umberto Bossi, the controversial and iconoclastic founder of the Northern League, was the real electoral surprise.
Bossi founded the Northern League more than two decades ago, when it appeared that Italy might not qualify for the single European currency, a possibility he said was only due to the economic drag from Italy's poorer southern regions.
His solution? Split the country in two: The southern part would keep the name Italy, with the northern part becoming Padania. Padania would then re-apply to adopt the euro on its own.
 
Tuning Italy. Veltroni’s double elections defeat.
by Webeehive.com 
Italy’s returning to its conservative liberal roots?
alemanno.jpg More than the national elections that have seen PDL Berlusconi’s coalition winning, it is the election of the Mayor of Rome – with a clear cut double turn majority ballot – that is tuning Italian politics. Following the third time election of Berlusconi since 1994, the election of the Mayor of Rome - Gianni Alemanno (1958), a talented modern fascist – marks the burial ceremony of the “catho-communism” invented in 1971 by Enrico Berlinguer (PCI) and Aldo Moro (DC). It is the final turning point for the incestuous experience of the populist left and the populist catho-right. 
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Italy's European influence?
Frattini's resignation equals to lose the EU justice, freedom and security portfolio.
by Webeehive.com

A strong warning has been worded out to Italy's leaders by Mr. Barroso, the EU Commission President. The press statement reads that Mr. Barroso "decided" that "Vice-President Barrot, who is currently replacing Vice-President Frattini in an outstanding way" will take responsibility for the portfolio for the rest of the mandate, should Mr Frattini resign.

Why has the mighty Barroso taken such a determined decision few days ahead of the Italian newly elected parliament first session on April 29?

 

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Berlusconi wants more EU influence

by Reuters

Italian prime minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi said on Wednesday he would help the EU regain the influence he said it had lost since he was last in power and called for the European Central Bank's mandate to be broadened.

berlusconi.jpgSpeaking on one of his own television channels after winning Italy's April 13-14 election, Berlusconi said the EU needed a "top leadership squad" to make it count in the world. "There is a need to reconstruct a Europe that has a leading role in the Western world that can tackle with determination the problems facing the world," said the 71-year-old conservative media mogul, who is expected to take office next month. 
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