Italy is in a phase of post-election political instability which is expected to negatively affect its economy.
Draghi has tried to lift the Eurozone’s third-largest economy out of the stagnation of the past two decades, but his efforts have been largely undermined by Silvio Berlusconi.
Berlusconi continues to generate instability with his anti-Ukraine and pro-Putin statements. Addressing his party officials, he argued that Ukraine had not implemented the Minsk agreements, forcing Putin to proceed with the “special operation”.
He also appeared extremely pleased that his friend Putin sent him 20 bottles of vodka as a present for his 86th birthday. He pointed out that the gift was accompanied by a “sweet letter” from the Russian leader to which he responded with his own “sweet letter”.
The European Commission intervened in the whole curious case to emphasize that the sending of the gift by Putin is a violation of the embargo rules that have been imposed at the European level.
Meloni, leader of Italy’s Brothers party and a big winner in the parliamentary elections, was quick to emphasize that Italy will consistently and vigorously fulfill all its obligations to the EU. and NATO. He also said the best for the struggling people of Ukraine to dispel the negative impressions caused by Berlusconi’s intervention.
At the same time, a fierce behind-the-scenes battle is taking place for the distribution of positions of influence between the three parties that came together and prevailed in the parliamentary elections.
The president of the Senate and the president of the House come respectively from the extreme right wing of the Adelphia party of Italy and Salvini’s League. Berlusconi instructed Forza Italia senators not to vote for the candidate proposed by Meloni, but based on the result of the secret ballot not all followed his instructions.
The discussion now moves to Italy on the new government structure and whether the new foreign minister and especially the new finance minister will have a European profile. But the country’s problem is much more complex than the profile of two important ministers.
The governing forces have trouble getting along, a clash of personalities is already manifesting at the top level, the Italian economy is rapidly returning to zero growth and the structural problems – as well as the public debt – are enormous.
Everything shows that Italy will become a catalyst for the worsening of the economic crisis in the EU.
