Italy – Comment: Local elections – all eyes on Rome

On Sunday and Monday local elections were held in Italy. It was the first big occasion to measure the political temperature since the general elections in February. In my view the two most significant developments in Rome’s voting (and maybe a sign for things to come also on the national level) were:

Czerulf: Italy – Bersani’s real failure

The former Secretary of the Democratic Party (PD) Bersani received a lot of criticism lately, most of it hard-earned and well deserved. Yes, he messed up the presidential elections, yes, he courted an obviously uninterested bride (M5S) in a bid to form a minority government wasting 50 odd days in the process. Yes, he damaged his standing (and that of his party) needlessly by this appalling exercise (transmitted via live-streaming). All forgiven! This can happen when you have a bad spell.

Czerulf: Italy – Let’s face reality!

English: Enrico Letta at the Trento 2009 Economics Festival. Italiano: Enrico Letta a Trento per il Festival dell’Economia 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The new government to be led by Enrico Letta is not in place yet. It hasn’t had the chance to do anything wrong, but criticism and more often polemics are all over the place. Most comments concentrate on the past rather than the present situation. And that’s the whole problem. There is no point in repeating over and over again that party A, B, C etc. promised one thing before the elections and now does the complete opposite. Why? Because the general elections of 24./25.02.2013 produced a result that is dramatically different from what had been envisaged at the time.

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via The Economist: The old guard is back in charge

The Economist gives his view on a turbulent week in Italy that culminated in the re-election of Giorgio Napolitano to the Presidency of the Italian Republic.

Czerulf: Italy – Napolitano pushed into extra time

Giorgio Napolitano needs to go into extra time

Italy has witnessed a dramatic week. The Italian parliament was called in to elect a new President of the Republic. In normal times this could have been a straight forward affair, since the post is of mainly representative nature. But these are not normal times. With the economy in free fall, the unemployment rate on a level not seen in two decades and the trust in the political class on an all-time low, the President is now regarded as the only institution able to hold the Italian Republic together, not a minor assignment by any means. The task has fallen again onto Giorgio Napolitano‘s (age 87) shoulders.