Which Italy will we see on Monday?

So here we are!

Tomorrow is the Election day in Italy. After 5 years, we will have a new Parliament and a new (maybe) Government.

But which is the picture of Italy today? And how will it change since the next week?

Whilst from abroad the Italian political arena is a funny show with hilarious characters (see John Oliver video), the reality is really sad. In the last five years we have seen different governments with no clear strategic view on the future of the country. And it is very probable that on Monday we will have no real winner (thanks to the new electoral law) and a government supported by heterogeneous political forces will be probably formed.

During the electoral campaign, the candidates have promised everything as I wrote few weeks ago in this blog. I talked to many friends who really didn't know for which party to vote. And we are even worried about the comeback of Silvio Berlusconi, at the lovely age of 81 years.

In the last years the economy went a little bit better but many structural problems still stay in Italy: corruption, bureaucracy, taxis, fiscal evasion, immigration policies and many others.

But in an article published recently, it was highlighted how the education is the most important and urgent problem for Italy. The government cut the budget for education in the last decade more than the other European countries, there are less people with an University Degree, but even less job offers for specialized role.

Yes, that's the point. In a global economy, education is the key for success, without it there is no future. And where is the ruling class who will bring us to the future?

Let's be optimistic, and GOOD LUCK to us!

  

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The decline of Berlusconi - le retour de la momie?

Few days ago, Silvio Berlusconi participated in a political meeting in Bologna (the most left-oriented city in Italy) that has ratified the alliance with the Lega Nord party.

Berlusconi and the leader of Lega Nord Matteo Salvini

Is this a return of Berlusconi?

Two considerations are needed to answer.

First, the season of the former Prime Minister ended years ago. He was the head of the Government for four times in the last  20 years. He was the deus ex machina of the Italian political system also having a large support of the electorate and a huge power in the Parliament. But if we consider the results he got, we can just see a lack of decisionism and a weakness against the main lobbies of the country.

Second, if he was able to come back to the political scene, it would be anyway as support of Matteo Salvini, the leader of Lega Nord, who has radicalized the political debate with positions xenophobes and anti-Eu. The risk for Berlusconi is to become a mascotte more than a leader.

We all remember when he left Palazzo Chigi for the last time (November 2011). When he decided to participate in the political elections 2013 Libération cover had the title "Le retour de la momie?" and Berlusconi's face. 

Who is writing this post has never been a supporter of Berlusconi. Anyway, it is very sad seeing a person of 79 years who has not the strength to leave the political scene. An act that could facilitate the creation of new forces in the centre-right political area.

Yesterday Helmut Shmidt died. He served as Chancellor of West Germany from 1974 to 1982. When he left the Government and the Parliament in the 80s, he continued to make politics in a non-institutional way. Another kind of politician.

Libération (2012)
Regarding the participation of Berlusconi at the Political Elections 2013 after having left the Government in 2011

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