Matteo Renzi was elected as the new general secretary of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) in... more Matteo Renzi was elected as the new general secretary of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) in Italy. Arianna Giovannini and James L. Newell assess the implications of the election for the PD and the wider political landscape in the country. They note that Renzi has generally been portrayed as a similar figure to Tony Blair in the UK due to his youth and ‘reformer’ image. They argue however that Renzi’s most immediate challenge will be to win control over the Italian premiership from current prime Minister Enrico Letta.
The centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) suffered a disappointing result in this year’s Italian e... more The centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) suffered a disappointing result in this year’s Italian elections. After the resignation of party secretary Pier Luigi Bersani, a new leader is due to be elected in December. Arianna Giovannini and James L. Newell assess the significance of the leadership contest, which the Mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, is favourite to win. They argue that leadership contests of this nature have far more potential to engage citizens in Italy than they do in countries such as the UK.
Last week Italian prime minister Enrico Letta resigned, with the general secretary of the Partito... more Last week Italian prime minister Enrico Letta resigned, with the general secretary of the Partito Democratico, Matteo Renzi, expected to take over as the country’s new PM. Arianna Giovannini and James L. Newell assess Renzi’s transition to power and the stakes for both his party and the wider situation in Italy. They note that although Renzi was the obvious successor to Letta, he was expected to wait until new elections before making a bid to become prime minister. By moving now he is taking a calculated gamble that his image as a ‘reformer’ will not be undermined by the fractious coalition that hobbled his predecessor.
On 31 January, Sergio Mattarella, a former Constitutional Court judge, was elected as the new Pre... more On 31 January, Sergio Mattarella, a former Constitutional Court judge, was elected as the new President of Italy. James L. Newell and Arianna Giovannini write that while the formal powers assigned to the President remain fairly limited, the appointment of Mattarella represented an important victory for Italy’s Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi. They argue that the nature of the negotiations leading up to the new President’s election highlight the authority Renzi now holds over his own party, but may have implications for Renzi’s working relationship with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The Italian general election of 4 March 2018 was highly paradoxical in that it changed little or ... more The Italian general election of 4 March 2018 was highly paradoxical in that it changed little or nothing while at the same time changing everything. On the one hand, though vote switches and changes in the distribution of the vote were at record levels, this, unlike the past, was not because of the emergence of new political protagonists. On the other hand, the election brought to power a coalition consisting of two outsider, populist, parties, the League and the Five-star Movement, with echoes and profound implications extending well beyond Italy’s borders. This chapter introduces the story of this remarkable event by providing the basic background information required to make sense of the material in the following chapters, covering, first, the line-ups among which voters were required to choose and then the institutional framework within which the election took place. From there we present the most salient features of the election outcome, the election context and the election ca...
Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, has announced he will resign following defeat in the countr... more Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, has announced he will resign following defeat in the country’s constitutional referendum. We asked a number of EUROPP contributors for their immediate thoughts on the result, Renzi’s resignation, and where Italy is heading next. Alberto Alemanno: “The vote has killed the dream of once in a generation change” James Newell: “The result was not simply another anti-establishment revolt” Andrea Lorenzo Capussela: “Rationality imposed itself, and in large numbers” Silvia Merler: “Italy is now headed for a complex and delicate period of political and economic uncertainty” Lorenzo Piccoli: “Renzi did not have much choice but to resign” Jonas Bergan Draege: “Both the M5S and Lega Nord could emerge strengthened from the No vote” Angelo Martelli: “The determinant factor of Renzi’s defeat has been the sluggish pace of the Italian recovery” Davide Morisi: “The correlation is clear: Renzi’s personalisation strategy has backfired” Mattia Guidi: “Listening to t...
Matteo Renzi was elected as the new general secretary of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) in... more Matteo Renzi was elected as the new general secretary of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) in Italy. Arianna Giovannini and James L. Newell assess the implications of the election for the PD and the wider political landscape in the country. They note that Renzi has generally been portrayed as a similar figure to Tony Blair in the UK due to his youth and ‘reformer’ image. They argue however that Renzi’s most immediate challenge will be to win control over the Italian premiership from current prime Minister Enrico Letta.
The centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) suffered a disappointing result in this year’s Italian e... more The centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) suffered a disappointing result in this year’s Italian elections. After the resignation of party secretary Pier Luigi Bersani, a new leader is due to be elected in December. Arianna Giovannini and James L. Newell assess the significance of the leadership contest, which the Mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, is favourite to win. They argue that leadership contests of this nature have far more potential to engage citizens in Italy than they do in countries such as the UK.
Last week Italian prime minister Enrico Letta resigned, with the general secretary of the Partito... more Last week Italian prime minister Enrico Letta resigned, with the general secretary of the Partito Democratico, Matteo Renzi, expected to take over as the country’s new PM. Arianna Giovannini and James L. Newell assess Renzi’s transition to power and the stakes for both his party and the wider situation in Italy. They note that although Renzi was the obvious successor to Letta, he was expected to wait until new elections before making a bid to become prime minister. By moving now he is taking a calculated gamble that his image as a ‘reformer’ will not be undermined by the fractious coalition that hobbled his predecessor.
On 31 January, Sergio Mattarella, a former Constitutional Court judge, was elected as the new Pre... more On 31 January, Sergio Mattarella, a former Constitutional Court judge, was elected as the new President of Italy. James L. Newell and Arianna Giovannini write that while the formal powers assigned to the President remain fairly limited, the appointment of Mattarella represented an important victory for Italy’s Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi. They argue that the nature of the negotiations leading up to the new President’s election highlight the authority Renzi now holds over his own party, but may have implications for Renzi’s working relationship with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The Italian general election of 4 March 2018 was highly paradoxical in that it changed little or ... more The Italian general election of 4 March 2018 was highly paradoxical in that it changed little or nothing while at the same time changing everything. On the one hand, though vote switches and changes in the distribution of the vote were at record levels, this, unlike the past, was not because of the emergence of new political protagonists. On the other hand, the election brought to power a coalition consisting of two outsider, populist, parties, the League and the Five-star Movement, with echoes and profound implications extending well beyond Italy’s borders. This chapter introduces the story of this remarkable event by providing the basic background information required to make sense of the material in the following chapters, covering, first, the line-ups among which voters were required to choose and then the institutional framework within which the election took place. From there we present the most salient features of the election outcome, the election context and the election ca...
Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, has announced he will resign following defeat in the countr... more Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, has announced he will resign following defeat in the country’s constitutional referendum. We asked a number of EUROPP contributors for their immediate thoughts on the result, Renzi’s resignation, and where Italy is heading next. Alberto Alemanno: “The vote has killed the dream of once in a generation change” James Newell: “The result was not simply another anti-establishment revolt” Andrea Lorenzo Capussela: “Rationality imposed itself, and in large numbers” Silvia Merler: “Italy is now headed for a complex and delicate period of political and economic uncertainty” Lorenzo Piccoli: “Renzi did not have much choice but to resign” Jonas Bergan Draege: “Both the M5S and Lega Nord could emerge strengthened from the No vote” Angelo Martelli: “The determinant factor of Renzi’s defeat has been the sluggish pace of the Italian recovery” Davide Morisi: “The correlation is clear: Renzi’s personalisation strategy has backfired” Mattia Guidi: “Listening to t...
Although the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020, the Brexit process has only just begun, and much ... more Although the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020, the Brexit process has only just begun, and much is impossible to predict. That said, it is possible to take educated guesses as to what is likely to happen and what could happen. It is also possible to say something, from one’s own particular normative standpoint, about what needs to happen. The paper addresses these three questions from the standpoint of the future of trade; the future of Remainers (those who have been opposed to Brexit from the very beginning); the future of the UK as a state.
In late February 2020, Brexit has only just begun, and much is impossible to predict. That said, ... more In late February 2020, Brexit has only just begun, and much is impossible to predict. That said, it is possible to take educated guesses as to what is likely to happen and what could happen. It is also possible to say something, from one’s own particular normative standpoint, about what needs to happen. The paper addresses these three questions from the standpoint of the future of trade; the future of Remainers, those who opposed Brexit from the very beginning; the future of the UK as a state.
Uploads
Papers