2013 Italian General Election – Italian Politics at a Crossroads?

 

One-day conference, 17 January 2014, University of Birmingham

Organised with the support of the Political Studies Association, the PSA’s Italian Politics Specialist Group and the Department of Modern Languages, University of Birmingham

Registrations are now open for the conference "2013 Italian General Election: Italian Politics at the Crossroads?".

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Attendance to the event is free of charge and refreshments will be provided.

However, places are limited and participants need to register online by Tuesday 10 December. 

Details of the conference, including the programme for the day and the online registration form, can be found at this link.

For further information about the event, please contact: ipsg.conference@gmail.com

Italy's ex-PM Berlusconi convicted in sex trial

After years of successfully brushing off sexual scandals, allegations of corruption and political setbacks, on the 24 June Silvio Berlusconi was sentenced by the Court of Milan to seven years in jail and was banned permanently from public office in the "Ruby sex trial".

 

The sentence handed down to the three-time Italian prime minister for having sex with an under-aged prostitute (Karima El Mahroug) and abuse of power is heavy by any standards.

While there may be several appeals left open to him before he serves that punishment, the sentence comes as a remarkable blow to the man who many Italians came to think was untouchable.

And yet, despite it all, Mr Berlusconi has not relinquished his grip on power, having an influential role behind the scenes of the Italian government, as leader of the second party in the coalition.

Moreover, his issues with the justice have not deterred supporters, many of whom see him as the victim of a left-wing conspiracy.
 

Further comments on Berlusconi's trial can be found at the following links:

• The Guardian
• BBC News
• La Repubblica (in italian) -- on why Italy still needs politics.

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Karima El Mahroug (aka Ruby) and Silvio Berlusconi (photo: Reuters)

ITALY'S BATTERED CENTER-LEFT WINS IN LOCAL ELECTIONS

With around 7 million voters in 564 towns and cities, the recent round of local elections has been the first big test for Enrico Letta's government. 

Although local elections have no direct impact on national government, the results seem to have both given a lift to the government and reinforced the position of Letta who, since its appointment as PM, had to struggle with the widespread perception that Berlusconi was pulling the strings in the coalition. 

Monday's results underlined the presence of a wide popular disillusionment with Italy's political class and its parties -- epitomised by an exceptionally low turnout. In Rome, for instance, the voter turnout dropped dramatically to 45% (-18% from the 2008 run-off).

And yet, the polls still showed a significant (and to some extent unexpected) success for the PD. The party, which nearly imploded after loosing the 10-point lead it held ahead of the national election, won all 16 provincial capitals, including Rome.

This dealt a blow to Berlusconi's PDL.
In the capital, the PD candidate Ignazio Marino got 64% of the vote in a run-off ballot against the incumbent PDL mayor Gianni Alemanno. 
Berlusconi took little part in the local elections' campaigns. According to some senior members of the PDL, this explains why the party performed so badly in this round of elections.

Another key feature of these electoral contest the results of the 5-Star Movement. 
In spite of having gained almost a quarter of the national vote in February 2013, the 5SM saw almost all its candidates eliminated in the first round, and eventually managed to win only two towns.
The main causes of decline in the support towards the 5SM are linked to the lack of credible, qualified candidates in a movement almost entirely dominated by its charismatic leader. Growing concerns about Beppe Grillo's authoritarian style and controversial decisions were particularly detrimental to the movement's performance -- spreading discontent within its ranks and leading, eventually, to the resignation of two MPs. 

Finally, the local elections saw a strong defeat for the Lega Nord, as the party almost disappeared from the political map of Italy's local authorities, loosing badly even in its strongholds in the North East of the country.



Further comments on the results of the local elections can be found at the following links:

1. In this CNBC interview,  Prof. James Walston (American University of Rome) discusses the low turnout at the Italian local elections and explains why it's positive for the ruling coalition.
2. This article published by Reuters, argues that sweeping wins for the center left in Italy's local elections have sounded alarms for Silvio Berlusconi and Beppe Grillo.
3. In this article (in Italian) published by LaRepubblica, Prof. Ilvo Diamanti offers an explanation of the political meaning of the local elections 

Ignazio Marino (PD), new mayor of Rome

Italy local elections -- a test for the new government?

This Sunday and Monday Italians will go to the polls again to vote for local elections.
In total, 565 local authorities will hold elections -- but most of the attention is on Rome mayoral vote.


In the capital city the contest will be between the outgoing mayor Gianni Alemanno (PdL) and Ignazio Marino (PD), and resembles therefore the frictions underpinning the recently appointed government led by Enrico Letta.

Opinion polls give Marino a few points ahead of Alemanno, but after the results of February 2013 general election nothing can be taken for granted in the voting behaviour of Italians.

The results of this local elections will be crucial to understand not only the way in which the Italian electorate is reacting towards the current government, but also to assess the impact of the growing sense of distrust towards party politics and the widespread anti-politics feelings on voting attitudes and turnout.



More details on Italian local elections can be found in this article published on BBC News.

Ignazio Marino (PD) and Gianni Alemanno (PdL)

Chances of new era in Italian politics 'non existent'
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In a recent article, the IPSG Convenor and Secreaty Dr Daniele Albertazzi has analysed the state of the current Italian government, the figure of the PM, and the role of Silvio Belusconi.

He argues that despite Prime Minister Enrico Letta's rhetoric and Silvio Berlusconi's attempts to restyle himself as a statesman ready to compromise, there is little chance of a normalisation of Italian politics.

The full article is available at this link.

PM Enrico Letta (PD)

Silvio Berlusconi (PdL)

After weeks of deadlock, Italy has a new coalition government

On Wednesday 24th April Enrico Letta, the deputy leader of the centre-left Democratic party (PD), was named prime minister designate and tasked with forming a broad coalition government.

On the 27th of April, Letta announced the names of his ministers.

The composition of the government is broad and controversial, and includes 21 ministers:

Angelino Alfano (PdL) -- Minister of the Interiors and Deputy Prime Minister

Gaetano Quagliarello (PdL) -- Constitutional Reforms

Emma Bonino (Radicali) -- Foreign Affairs

Annamaria Cancellieri (ex Monti) -- Justice

Mario Mauro (Scelta Civica) -- Defence

Fabrizio Saccomanni -- Economy

Maurizio Lupi (PdL) -- Infrastructures and Transports

Dario Franceschini (PD) -- Relationships with the Parliament

Graziano Delrio (PD) -- Regional Affairs

Enzo Moavero Milanesi (Scelta Civica) -- European Affairs
Nunzia DeGirolamo (PdL) -- Agricultural Policy
Andrea Orlando (PD) -- Environment
Enrico Giovannini -- Work and Social Policy
Maria Chiara Carrozza (PD) -- Education and University
Beatrice Lorenzin (PdL) -- Health
Carlo Trigilia (PD) -- Territorial Cohesion
Cécile Kyenge (PD) -- Integration
Josefa Idem (PD) -- Equal Opportunities and Sport
Gianpiero D'Alia (Scelta Civica) --  Public Administration and Simplification
Massimo Bray (PD) --  Cultural heritage and Tourism
Flavio Zanonato (PD) -- Economic Development

Here's the link to some articles published by the Guardian and Reuters on the topic.

Enrico Letta, the new Italian Prime Minister

The Ministers