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A Berlusconi Reminder as Italy Faces Another Unelected Premier A Berlusconi Reminder as Italy Faces Another Unelected Premier
(7 months later)
ROME — It speaks to the strange state of Italian democracy that Silvio Berlusconi, the disgraced former prime minister, is now claiming the high moral ground in politics — and that his claim is not completely without merit as Italy prepares for its third consecutive unelected prime minister. ROME — It speaks to the strange state of Italian democracy that Silvio Berlusconi, the disgraced former prime minister, is now claiming the high moral ground in politics — and that his claim is not completely without merit as Italy prepares for its third consecutive unelected prime minister.
Mr. Berlusconi — he of the endless scandals, a recent tax fraud conviction for which he is awaiting sentencing and a humiliating expulsion from Italy’s Senate — has been quick to remind people that he is the last Italian prime minister actually elected by the Italian people, in 2008.Mr. Berlusconi — he of the endless scandals, a recent tax fraud conviction for which he is awaiting sentencing and a humiliating expulsion from Italy’s Senate — has been quick to remind people that he is the last Italian prime minister actually elected by the Italian people, in 2008.
Since then, Italy has experienced crisis management as much as democracy. Mr. Berlusconi resigned under pressure in 2011 at the height of Europe’s debt crisis. To succeed him, President Giorgio Napolitano appointed a technocratic government led by the economist Mario Monti. Then, in 2013, national elections were inconclusive, so Mr. Napolitano jammed together a coalition government and named Enrico Letta as prime minister.Since then, Italy has experienced crisis management as much as democracy. Mr. Berlusconi resigned under pressure in 2011 at the height of Europe’s debt crisis. To succeed him, President Giorgio Napolitano appointed a technocratic government led by the economist Mario Monti. Then, in 2013, national elections were inconclusive, so Mr. Napolitano jammed together a coalition government and named Enrico Letta as prime minister.
But faced with a revolt in his own Democratic Party, Mr. Letta resigned on Friday, Valentine’s Day, meaning that Mr. Napolitano will name his third unelected prime minister in three years. This time it will be Matteo Renzi, 39, the new leader of the Democratic Party, who engineered the revolt against Mr. Letta and has promised to change national election laws so that Italian voters can have a clearer say about who becomes prime minister.But faced with a revolt in his own Democratic Party, Mr. Letta resigned on Friday, Valentine’s Day, meaning that Mr. Napolitano will name his third unelected prime minister in three years. This time it will be Matteo Renzi, 39, the new leader of the Democratic Party, who engineered the revolt against Mr. Letta and has promised to change national election laws so that Italian voters can have a clearer say about who becomes prime minister.
On Sunday, Mr. Napolitano summoned Mr. Renzi to Rome for a meeting on Monday morning, and he is expected to ask the Democratic leader to try to form a government.On Sunday, Mr. Napolitano summoned Mr. Renzi to Rome for a meeting on Monday morning, and he is expected to ask the Democratic leader to try to form a government.
Parliamentary democracies are often messy, and Italy has a long history of revolving governments. But analysts say Mr. Renzi must deliver election reforms because an Italian public already confronted with a painful economic crisis is becoming even more cynical and distrustful as anti-establishment parties like the Five Star Movement are angrily questioning the legitimacy of the government and positioning for the European elections in May.Parliamentary democracies are often messy, and Italy has a long history of revolving governments. But analysts say Mr. Renzi must deliver election reforms because an Italian public already confronted with a painful economic crisis is becoming even more cynical and distrustful as anti-establishment parties like the Five Star Movement are angrily questioning the legitimacy of the government and positioning for the European elections in May.
Beppe Grillo, the comedian who leads the Five Star Movement, played on the legitimacy theme — in profane terms — when he compared Mr. Renzi to Al Capone and likened the dumping of Mr. Letta to the 1929 execution-style murders by Capone’s men that became known as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.Beppe Grillo, the comedian who leads the Five Star Movement, played on the legitimacy theme — in profane terms — when he compared Mr. Renzi to Al Capone and likened the dumping of Mr. Letta to the 1929 execution-style murders by Capone’s men that became known as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.
Less colorful skepticism came from across the Tiber River at the Vatican, where the Roman Catholic Church’s official daily newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, wrote in an editorial that Italy’s latest power shift was “the umpteenth government crisis with reasons and rituals that taste stale.”Less colorful skepticism came from across the Tiber River at the Vatican, where the Roman Catholic Church’s official daily newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, wrote in an editorial that Italy’s latest power shift was “the umpteenth government crisis with reasons and rituals that taste stale.”
“So with Renzi,” the editorial concluded, “the moment has come in which the whole of Italy needs to turn a new leaf, after 20 years in which little of use has been achieved.”“So with Renzi,” the editorial concluded, “the moment has come in which the whole of Italy needs to turn a new leaf, after 20 years in which little of use has been achieved.”
Mr. Renzi, the mayor of Florence, is nicknamed the Demolisher for his promise to shatter the political old guard. His political skills made him a rising national star amid predictions that he would one day become prime minister. But Mr. Renzi always said he wanted to be elected to win a public mandate for the changes he promised to deliver.Mr. Renzi, the mayor of Florence, is nicknamed the Demolisher for his promise to shatter the political old guard. His political skills made him a rising national star amid predictions that he would one day become prime minister. But Mr. Renzi always said he wanted to be elected to win a public mandate for the changes he promised to deliver.
His supporters say circumstances forced him to take this different route. The principal mandate of Mr. Letta’s government was to pass a new election law, especially since Italy’s highest court deemed much of the old law unconstitutional. None of the parties want to call elections until a new law is in place, but progress was slow as critics blamed Mr. Letta and other lawmakers for deliberately stalling to remain in office.His supporters say circumstances forced him to take this different route. The principal mandate of Mr. Letta’s government was to pass a new election law, especially since Italy’s highest court deemed much of the old law unconstitutional. None of the parties want to call elections until a new law is in place, but progress was slow as critics blamed Mr. Letta and other lawmakers for deliberately stalling to remain in office.
Mr. Renzi, who became the leader of the Democratic Party in December, even struck a surprising deal on an election reform package with Mr. Berlusconi — who is still an opposition leader — that will soon be debated in Parliament. Finally, though, as critics blamed the government for inaction on multiple fronts, Mr. Renzi and his party decided that Mr. Letta had to go.Mr. Renzi, who became the leader of the Democratic Party in December, even struck a surprising deal on an election reform package with Mr. Berlusconi — who is still an opposition leader — that will soon be debated in Parliament. Finally, though, as critics blamed the government for inaction on multiple fronts, Mr. Renzi and his party decided that Mr. Letta had to go.
Mr. Renzi has been considered a political outsider, someone who has confronted the old guard in his own party. Even before last week’s machinations, many analysts regarded him as the sort of political street fighter who represented Italy’s best chance to shatter the country’s systemic paralysis.Mr. Renzi has been considered a political outsider, someone who has confronted the old guard in his own party. Even before last week’s machinations, many analysts regarded him as the sort of political street fighter who represented Italy’s best chance to shatter the country’s systemic paralysis.
But some analysts worry that Mr. Renzi is instead part of the same trend that produced Mr. Berlusconi two decades ago, and that has now produced Mr. Grillo — a personality-driven style of politics, fueled by television or the Internet, that has eroded Italy’s democratic institutions.But some analysts worry that Mr. Renzi is instead part of the same trend that produced Mr. Berlusconi two decades ago, and that has now produced Mr. Grillo — a personality-driven style of politics, fueled by television or the Internet, that has eroded Italy’s democratic institutions.
“What Renzi has in mind is a personal party, like Berlusconi’s or the Five Star Movement,” which is dominated by Mr. Grillo, said Angelo D’Orsi, a professor of political theory at the University of Turin. “They ignore that there is a system founded on rules.”“What Renzi has in mind is a personal party, like Berlusconi’s or the Five Star Movement,” which is dominated by Mr. Grillo, said Angelo D’Orsi, a professor of political theory at the University of Turin. “They ignore that there is a system founded on rules.”
By the end of the week, Mr. Renzi’s transition to prime minister is likely to be official, although negotiations will be required because the Democrats by themselves do not have a majority in both chambers of Parliament. Mr. Renzi must then confront an economic crisis, rising unemployment and a sclerotic bureaucracy. He has promised to overhaul the labor laws and the tax system, introduce an emergency jobs act, rip through the bureaucracy and push big-ticket economic proposals through Parliament.By the end of the week, Mr. Renzi’s transition to prime minister is likely to be official, although negotiations will be required because the Democrats by themselves do not have a majority in both chambers of Parliament. Mr. Renzi must then confront an economic crisis, rising unemployment and a sclerotic bureaucracy. He has promised to overhaul the labor laws and the tax system, introduce an emergency jobs act, rip through the bureaucracy and push big-ticket economic proposals through Parliament.
It is a huge challenge, given that he is likely to be governing with the same unwieldy majority that was judged to be hampering Mr. Letta’s attempts to carry out his agenda. Yet, analysts say, he also must push through changes to the electoral system so that future prime ministers have a chance to win a popular mandate.It is a huge challenge, given that he is likely to be governing with the same unwieldy majority that was judged to be hampering Mr. Letta’s attempts to carry out his agenda. Yet, analysts say, he also must push through changes to the electoral system so that future prime ministers have a chance to win a popular mandate.