The era of Berlusconi has come to an end. The time of Mario Monti has arrived.
Mario Monti, former European Commissioner, is officially Italy’s new Prime Minister. Yesterday, he swore in to be the new person in charge to address the state along with his ministers, an administration composed by a large number of non-aligned academics whose task is to steer Italy towards a more secure financial stability. Monti himself will assume the finance ministry. Although Berlusconi was ousted after the vote of confidence in the chamber of deputies, Silvio and his coalition can still achieve a majority in the senate. Now, Monti needs the vote of confidence of both chambers in the parliament. Opinion:
The first question I make to myself is if the introduction of intellectuals to the government will be beneficial for the country. Monti himself has stated that "the non-presence of politicians in the government would help it". But is it possible to relay on them? He was elected under the pressures coming from Brussels, and this government intends to apply harsh measures, and its actions will be overlooked by the conditions imposed by the EU – or may I say Germany... and France? However, it is also true that after Berlusconi and all the controversies with his ministers, the women ones, no wonder why Italian citizens seek for a drastic change that can allow them to find a solution to the debt crisis. The new cabnites seems to be well prepared, and they have brilliant careers. But, will they be effective?
source:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/16/mario-monti-technocratic-cabinet-italy
This new government is an appointed meritocracy, plutocracy, even. Banks do rule the economy, there's nothing we can do about that, but now it turns out that bankers are formally going to rule politics? Anyone is better for Italy than Berlusconi, who only cared about himself and his retinue, but who is this new technocratic government going to care for? They'll limit their actions to what the EU imposes (i.e. Germany and France, as you pointed out). Sincerely, I don't see how these EU measures are meant to be effective, they've been implemented all across the EU and the crisis is far from coming to an end.
ReplyDeleteEven if i do agree with both of you when you say that Monti's government is an example of bankers and technocrats ruling politics, I think this situation is not going to last forever. I think it is a temporary measure that i hope will help Italy facing the economic crisis from a different perspective.
ReplyDeleteI read a news today that reinforces my belief of this being just a temporary measure. It said that Berlusconi had made Monti promise in public that he will not run for presidency in 2013.
Seeing it as a temporary measure I do not think that the fact of having a banker in politics is necessarily a bad thing. After all i think he will know more economics than a politician like Berlusconi. And having worked for the banks that contributed largely to create the current economic crisis maybe he knows ways to fix the problem he helped create...
PS. This is the link where i saw the news in case anyone is interested: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/20/us-italy-monti-berlusconi-idUSTRE7AJ09420111120
In my opinion, Italy needed a change. Berlusconi´s behaviour was unnaceptable and Italy,in these crises times, has to start creating a better image on the international system. We do not know where Monti and its government will arrive, but we do know that at least something has started to change, even if it is a change provoked by the pressure from France or Germany. The european messures are just the meassures against a crises that has put a threat on the future of Europe it self, but sometimes the treatment that a sick pacient has to follow to get better from the disease is not easy, so now the european countries are facing that difficult treatment, but with the hope to get better at some point.
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ReplyDeleteWill decisions of these intelectuals be effective? That is up to the parliament. I believe intellectuals are what is needed right now to improve the country's economic situation. However, even if they propose effective measures to relief the debt crisis, their decisions need to be approved by the majority of a heterogenous parliament. The question is: will the parliament agree with them? All parties have to cooperate more than never to fight against Italy's economic problems, so they can finish with a (hopefully) succesful transition government and call for new elections as soon as possible.
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