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'They played us': Italy's political turmoil angers backers of coalition 'They played us': Italy's political turmoil angers backers of coalition
(about 1 hour later)
Even though Italians are more than used to their government lurching from one turmoil to another, anger is emanating from backers of a short-lived coalition of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the far-right Lega. Even though Italians are more than used to their government lurching from one turmoil to another, anger is emanating from backers of a short-lived coalition of the Five Star Movement (M5S) and the League.
“Our lives have become a game in the hands of people who have no scruples,” said Marina Mari, who voted for M5S in the 4 March general election that resulted in a hung parliament. “They [the coalition] played us – we understand that now, but we didn’t before.”“Our lives have become a game in the hands of people who have no scruples,” said Marina Mari, who voted for M5S in the 4 March general election that resulted in a hung parliament. “They [the coalition] played us – we understand that now, but we didn’t before.”
The coalition – which would have created Italy’s first populist government – monumentally crashed in its bid for power on Sunday night, after President Sergio Mattarella vetoed their pick for economy minister – Paolo Savona, an 81-year-old Eurosceptic also described as “radically anti-German”. The coalition – which would have created Italy’s first populist government – ran into a roadblock in its bid for power on Sunday night when the president, Sergio Mattarella, vetoed its pick for economy minister – Paolo Savona, an 81-year-old Eurosceptic also described as “radically anti-German”.
Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio, leaders of the Lega and M5S, were determined to stick firmly to their overtly anti-EU candidate rather than present Matarella with a more moderate contender. While both M5S and the Lega are traditionally Eurosceptic, their individual and joint programmes called for an exit from neither the European single currency nor the EU. Instead, the coalition’s objective was to seek a renegotiation of European treaties. Giuseppe Conte, the law professor nominated to lead the administration, who resigned on Sunday evening after Mattarella vetoed Savona, had said Italy would remain within the EU.
While both M5S and the Lega are traditionally Eurosceptic, their individual and joint programmes neither called for an exit from the European single currency or the EU. Instead, the coalition’s objective was to seek a renegotiation of European treaties. Giuseppe Conte, the law professor nominated to lead their administration, who resigned on Sunday evening after Mattarella vetoed Savona, had also said that Italy would remain within the EU. Francesco Giavazzi, an economics professor at Bocconi University in Milan, said that by backing Savona, Salvini intended to ensure the coalition’s bid for government failed and that fresh elections would be called. “His tactic from day one was to go back to elections. He did it in such a way he knew the president would refuse.”
Francesco Giavazzi, an economics professor at Bocconi University in Milan, said that by backing Savona, Salvini had intended to ensure that the coalition’s bid for government failed and that fresh elections would be called. Salvini’s popularity has increased since the March vote, but it remains to be seen if his gamble will pay off. “Salvini is a very good campaigner who has never finished anything in his life,” said Giavazzi. “He knows that if he campaigns, he wins, but if you give him a real job to do it soon becomes clear that he’s unable to do it.”
“His tactic from day one was to go back to elections,” said Giavazzi. “He did it in such a way he knew the president would refuse.” About 57% of Italian voters wanted a government whose programme included generous tax cuts, a universal basic income and a raft of hardline policies against illegal immigrants.
Salvini’s popularity has increased since the March vote, but it remains to be seen if his gamble will pay off. After the events of Sunday and Monday, what they have now is another temporary, unelected prime minister who is a europhile. Carlo Cottarelli, a former director at the International Monetary Fund, has been tasked by Mattarella with forming an interim government.
“Salvini is a very good campaigner who has never finished anything in his life,” said Giavazzi. “He knows that if he campaigns, he wins, but if you give him a real job to do it soon becomes clear that he’s unable to do it.” His administration is expected to lose a vote of confidence in parliament, meaning new elections could be held as early as September.
About 57% of Italians wanted a government whose programme included generous tax cuts, a universal basic income and a raft of hardline policies against illegal immigrants. “We feel conned and trapped – we wanted a revolution,” said Roberto Percuaio, who lives in Orvieto, Umbria, and backed the populist coalition. “What I can’t understand is why Mattarella rejected a government formed by a technocrat [Giuseppe Conte] only to appoint another technocrat the next morning?”
After the events of Sunday and Monday, what they have now is another temporary, unelected prime minister who is a europhile. Carlo Cottarelli, a former director at the International Monetary Fund, has been tasked by Mattarella with forming an interim government to steer the country towards another election. The outcome has left others feeling equally baffled, and with little appetite for a fresh vote. “Did they do it on purpose?” asked Federico Badia, an artisan shoemaker in the central Umbria region. “Now I’m starting to think we would be better off without a prime minister – we have the law, the constitution, the country is still working. This could be the next generation of politics – no prime minister.”
But his administration is expected to lose a vote of confidence in parliament, meaning the ballot could now be held as early as September. While most anger seems to be directed at Italy’s political leaders, there are fears that Mattarella’s veto could lead Italians to support any renewed calls for a referendum on the euro. Many blame the currency for a drop in the standard of living since 1999, but most believe the task of extracting the country from it is insurmountable.
“We feel conned and trapped – we wanted a revolution,” said Roberto Percuaio, who lives in Orvieto, Umbria, and backed the populist coalition.
“What I can’t understand is why Mattarella rejected a government formed by a technocrat [Giuseppe Conte] only to appoint another technocrat the next morning?”
The outcome has left others feeling equally baffled, and with little appetite for a fresh vote.
“Did they do it on purpose?” asked Federico Badia, an artisan shoemaker in the central Umbria region.
“Now I’m starting to think we would be better off without a prime minister – we have the law, the constitution, the country is still working. This could be the next generation of politics – no prime minister.”
While most anger seems to directed at Italy’s political leaders, the latest chaos has also reignited fears that Mattarella’s veto will lead Italians to support any renewed calls for a referendum on the euro.
Many blame the currency for a drop in the standard of living since 1999, but most believe extracting themselves from it would be insurmountable. If it ever came to a referendum, about 70% of Italians would vote to remain within the EU, according to the polling and research company Piepoli Institute.
“The politicians are the ones who are supposed to have the brilliant minds, so it should be their job to find a solution – not to leave the euro but to help make life easier for citizens and to help Italy be more competitive within the eurozone,” said Badia.“The politicians are the ones who are supposed to have the brilliant minds, so it should be their job to find a solution – not to leave the euro but to help make life easier for citizens and to help Italy be more competitive within the eurozone,” said Badia.
Gianluca Arcimboldo, a bookshop owner, said that while many Italians hark back to the golden era of the lira, he believes the country wouldn’t be strong economically enough to withstand a euro exit now. Gianluca Arcimboldo, a bookshop owner, said that while many Italians harked back to the golden era of the lira, he believed the country would not be strong economically enough to withstand a euro exit now.
Franco Pietrantozzi, a writer, said that while there was no going back on the euro, Italians feel a lot of resentment towards the EU because of it. Franco Pietrantozzi, a writer, said there was no going back on the euro, but Italians felt a lot of resentment towards the EU because of it. “The problem was entering the euro in the first place. When the monetary change happened the cost of everything went up overnight,” he said. “But our politicians didn’t object to it, they just did it, like sheep.”
“The problem was entering the euro in the first place. When the monetary change happened the cost of everything went up overnight,” he said. “But our politicians didn’t object to it, they just did it, like sheep.” Giavazzi believes if it came to a vote, a large majority would back staying in the currency. “It’s mostly the older generation who complain about it, the younger ones don’t know any different,” he said. “People aren’t stupid – Italy is a country with a very large amount of private savings and most don’t want to revert to being paid in lira.”
However, if it ever came to the crunch, Giavazzi believes a large majority would vote to stay within the currency.
“It’s mostly the older generation who complain about it, the younger ones don’t know any different,” he said.
“People aren’t stupid – Italy is a country with a very large amount of private savings and most don’t want to revert to being paid in lira.”
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