Italy is back!
(BRUSSELS2) Difficult to escape. Matteo Renzi says it, and repeats it, to satiety. Italy is back. She wants her full place in the European concert. Italy intends in particular to see its Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini appointed to the post of High Representative. And Rome has no lesson to take from anyone...or to give. Even if...
Reforms, change, revolution
« Italy needs reform ". This is, in fact, the leitmotif of the Italian head of government. Anyone who doesn't understand must be a little hard of hearing 🙂 In fact, the new Italian coalition government (center right / center left) has begun to reduce the number of levels of power and is trying to reduce its internal bureaucracy . The powers of the Senate will be reduced. The famous "ping pong" between the different chambers, which has often contributed to Italian indecision, should be abolished. " A revolution in Italy: this is Matteo Renzi's other keyword. " I do not call the Italians to a reform, but to a revolution. To regain our place in Europe, we must absolutely change Italy. »
Not the fault of others...
The young President of the Italian Council embodies a change of style in power in the peninsula but also in Europe. So he doesn't want to overwhelm anyone. " The problem is not Germany "or Europe" but Italy ". " To think that we can go to the construction of a different Europe against someone and especially against Germany is a mistake. We have to work together we explain in his entourage. However, Europe and other countries cannot avoid certain responsibilities. Matteo Renzi demands that all the words of the European treaties be taken into account and applied. In " Stability and Growth Pact, there is stability but also growth. There is no growth without stability, but there is no stability without growth. If there is no stability, all possibilities of growth are destroyed. »
... But no lessons to be learned
And beware of those who dare to give advice, like the President of the Bundesbank recently. " Europe does not belong to German bankers, to Italian bankers but to European citizens ". The formula is beautiful, lyrical and allows everyone to be put back in their place, at a lower cost. By the way, if this can cause a bit of controversy, it is not bad to remember that Italy is led by a (center) left government. As for a possible exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the Italian leader does not feel the need for it and even considers it negative. " It's important for Europe to have the UK on the inside”.
Comment: La Renzimania, a fad?
We can notice that if the Italian leader often cites Germany, as a model or antithesis, feels common points with the United Kingdom - on the importance of the digital shift, the role of national parliaments etc. — he somewhat forgot to refer to his big neighbour, France. François Hollande was never quoted once during this stay in Rome... A coincidence? Or rather, a clever political calculation? Renzi does not want to place himself in the camp of the Latins against the Anglo-Saxons, of the "laxists" against the "Orthodox"... He wants to place himself in the center of Europe. Even if he does not say it at any time, he also fears being assimilated to the impression that France gives, of parking in a swamp, unable to make up his mind, too slow to make certain reforms and sometimes inaudible. On the contrary, Renzi wants to embody renewal.
In this discourse, there is a force, a novelty that cuts through after years of crisis, tears. This way of encouraging everyone to roll up their sleeves, to see a future for Italy, for Europe, without accusing each other of their own torments, has a joyful, positive, exciting side. However, care must be taken to ensure that what is above all an assembly of words and personal conviction, a "Coué" method, is quickly followed by effect and realities. Otherwise the Tarpeian rock is close to the Capitol, in geography... as in politics.
(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde, in Rome)
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