A tale of two Italians

One could doom the euro; another could save it

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Readers' comments



Nero Roberto

Stop with this violence! The Clown is a serious job. The Clown is not a Berlusconi. I really do not like to be compared to Berlusconi.



the Italian Government letter is yet another example of the barefaced deceit Berlusconi has liberally fed Italy over the last 20-odd years.

The rest Europe can easily see through it but (as the article points out) it has little leverage on him.

The letter serves no purpose but give him the chance to survive a few more months so to protect his own interests one more time (see the latest attempt to change inheritance rules to suit his own divorce battle: change the law to screw his own children... how low can one go?).

Berlusconi is most certainly a clown and a buffoon, something many Italians always knew, sadly at times they were not a majority when it came to elections.

He's in the mould of another Italian clown and buffoon, the very Benito Mussolini of fascist memory he openly admires.

History will tell who managed to cause more damage to Italy and the World at large.

stefano de santis

One more Charlemagne's article remote controlled by Paris.THE ONLY HUMILIATION IS THE ABSENCE OF ANY FRENCH IN THE BOARD OF THE ECB,AND THE PRESENCE OF TWO,I SAY TWO,ITALIANS.Probably,the only french in the surroundings is the butler.Miss Merkel totally denied any smirking.The frameup was one more squalid initiative of Sarkozy and his paid defamers:the question that raised the "laughing"was done by a french journalists,those who laughed french "men"and "women".Merkel,obviously not ready to the stupid,despicable trick,smiled in embarassment,not understanding what was happening.The revenge came immediately:BINI SMAGHI will not resign,ousting the french from tha group of those who count in the major financial institution in the world.Ride bene chi ride ultimo,and it's not over.I am afraid that something more devastating is incoming in another scenery.See you when will happen.


I've read the (Italian) text of the letter sent by the Italian government to the EU, with its defence of past policies and pledges on future reforms. I'm specially worried by the former, where it's strongly argued that the extent of Italy's fiscal "virtue" — relative to other partners — is shown by Italy's higher figures on the primary fiscal surplus as a percentage of GDP. This appears to ignore the important fact that the proportional primary surplus required to stabilise the debt/GDP ratio is much higher in the case of Italy, owing to its markedly higher starting debt ratio and lower growth rate.

As to the specific pledges of future structural reforms to enhance growth, they are obviously welcome, but two things should be noticed. First, they are long overdue, and even if promptly implemented now, as promised, would take many years to produce their effects anyway. Secondly, their actual implementation is highly dubious, given the very stiff opposition that most of them meet from trade unions and the political left, not to mention members of the governing coalition itself and even the Catholic church. All in all, I would be very surprised if many of them reached the statute book within the foreseeable future.

Summing up, Italy's complacence and prevailing anti-market culture seems likely to keep it as a threat to the euro system as a whole for some time to come yet. And it's important to realise that this will be so whatever the future government will be, among the currently available alternatives. Indeed, Italy's prospects would probably deteriorate even further — particularly on long-run growth — under a government run by to-day's parliamentary opposition.

Banana Republic

The picture depicts Berlusconi as a clown. In the eyes of the world he is a clown, in the eyes of Italian’s he is God, he is God gift to women, tax evaders and people that corrupt. The letter that Berlusconi has provided to the EU has zero value because he will not carry-out what is in the letter. In the past 15 years he has made many promises but kept close to zero. The only thing that are important to Berlusconi, women, young girls and his power base.
Italy debt and lack of economic growth is caused by 3 things, lack of accountability and responsibility (concept does not exist in Italy) tax evasion and corruption. People go on pension at 39 years old, Minister buys 19 Masserati for Army Generals to drive around, Minister uses Government jet for going to see football match, Government aircraft used to take prostitute to Berlusconi party. Our state TV is openly used to promote women that have prostituted themselves to Berlusconi. When a country is indifferent to these things it shows the sick nature of its morality and ethics. The Government is doing close to zero to fight tax evasion, corruption and mafia is a serious problem.
Italy can overcome its problem overnight, zero tolerance towards tax evasion and corruption. Immediate cut to taxes to stimulate the economy.
Lastly, the Catholic Church is also a major obstacle, to date the Church has not openly criticized Berlusconi behavior (the Church actually criticized the investigators wrt to child prostitution, they criticized the number of resources the magistrate used, maybe if the Church adopted same approach there would be less victims of pedophile priests) , the Church is only interested in its economic and political powerbase rather than morality and ethics.
Watching the TV series Borgia is seeing exactly what Italy is all about.


The Economist forgets the greatest politician - economist in Italian recent history: Romano Prodi, also former President of the European Commission!.

Professor Prodi let Italy go in the European Monetary Union (euro area) during his first stint in government in 1996 - 1998, and then made Italy grow yearly almost 2% in 2006 - 2008, the highest rate in Italy for decades.

He retired from active politics and teaches in USA and China but many want him to return...!


Berlusconi is making Italy seem like a circus where he is the main attraction, a big clown that refuses to take action, he also refuses to at least try saving this beautiful country from a great crisis. As a fellow Italian I understand how we have no choice because either of the parties literally suck. We need new leaders that have new ideas and therefore can help italy in a newer and better way. We need no clowns or people who only want to make a profit for themselves we need a strong leader that is not afraid to stand up for us.


Dear Economist,
I would just like to raise a few comments on your continuous critics on Berlusconi. In this article you talk about a "confortable majority" he is sort of lucky to work with. Well, when he formed his own government in 94, this fell because suddenly the Lega Nord quitted their support. Later, after 2000 it has been the former Cristian Democrats under Ferdinando Casini, to draw back their support from the coalition, and more recently it has been the "eager to make career" Gianfranco Fini, to accuse publicly Berlusconi undermining the authority of its government and draw back its members of parliement.
After August, both Berlusconi and Tremonti,have worked on a tough reform that could lower public expenditures thus relieving the public debt. They wanted to cut provincial administrations that cost Italy 40 bln euros a year and whose competences can be easily absorbed by the local and the regional administrations. But Lega nord, having won and put a lot of their representatives in these administrations worked against this reforms. The opposition, that could grant some support due to the emergency Italy is facing, didn't do anything. Berlusconi wanted to raise the retirement age to 67 males and females, but again Lega Nord didn't accept any compromise and doesn't want to pass any reform.
What can be said is that Italians are too individualistic to perform a common front towards good governance and reforms. But if you go back before the various Berlusconi's eras, the Left couldn't do any better (Prodi, D'Alema etc etc). They too had been divided between the extreme left and the more Christian and Centre ortiented parties.
Furthermore I don't believe Sarkozy can laugh about the Italian economy, since the next country that could have troubles after Italy and Spain would be France. Italy has a bigger public debt but Italian banks are much stronger, they did'n buy as many Greek bonds, and Italians themselves, individually have more private savings and are less privately indebted than many strong-believed European partners.
Furthermore, Berlusconi is continously scrutinized by reporters and journalists on what he says or does, and on his private life, but the latest four of five French presidents all had private scandals, or sexual allegations. But probably italian medias are much more agressive towards their leaderships, and French prioritize and try to protect the imagine of their Nation first.
I apologize for my English and thank you for the opportunity to express myself on this topic.



Sadly in my experience the world is quick (and perhaps correct) in judging the Italian people based on what we have elected as our own representatives.

I am constantly met with sheer disbelief when I explain even 10% of Berlusconi's corruption, mismanagement and sheer incompetence. The first question is always: "Why on earth do Italians keep voting him in"?

Well, why do we (collectively) elect him? Until we understand the reasons for voting in generation after generation of kleptocrats then we have no hope of getting rid of them.

For what the Parliament is concerned, Berlusconi has long treated it just the way good old Caligula did when he (allegedly) appointed his horse as Senator. Incitatus (the horse) in those years, Carfagna and Minetti (the ) in our sorry time.

How fitting that Berlusconi's "stable keeper" (*) was a convicted member of the Sicilian Mafia. Who could possibly be better qualified for the role chief whip in Parliament?

(*) see

Banana Republic

A bit of useless information not for Berlusconi the clown, but rather the Italian clowns that support him. Today auction of Government Bonds were sold with a interest rate of 6%. Next year Italy need to renegotiate Euro 400 billion, one can imagine where the interest rate will go considering at that by then Greece will be bankrupt. It would be nice if the Italian clowns that support Berlusconi can explain how Italy can continue paying around 6% for it’s debt while economy grows at 0,5 %. Even a circus clown will tell that it will lead to bankruptcy.


I am Italian, I have had a good education, I pay my bills and taxes and I only find seasonal jobs.
Let me say that Mr.B. seems not as honest as the most Italian citizens are.
Day by day, we feel deeply ashamed of this situation!!!


The only purpose of the Diktat was to get rid of Berlusconi. After all no other European leader could possibly have come up with such a great reform plan in just 2 days. But guess what Silvio did the impossible and stood up to the job. His plan is great and he will be able to get it through parliament.
Sorry, The Economist, you have been predicting the demise of Silvio for years. He is here to stay.
If any other leader had come up with such a comprehensive reform package, the Economist would have embraced it.
Among other things:
- the pension age was raised from 65 to 67 (for everybody)
- the labor market will be liberalized, i.e. it will be allowed to fire people for economic reasons
- privatizations will be introduced amounting to more than EUR5bn
and much more

As the next title I suggest: A picture of Berlusconi saying: The only one, who could make it happen
I admit that you had this title with a picture of Bush a couple of years back, referring to the Palestinian conflict. Well, how did that turn out...?
Honestly this is a great magazine (newspaper), but when will you realize that Silvio is the greatest politican and statesman in Europe? It cannot be that hard!


Economist biased against Italy as usual, no surprise.
@ Ferretti is right, with opposition in charge even less reforms would go through.
Yet Italy is there in the club, has enormous potential, imagine where it would be, only if a market culture would prevail. As in its history, probably Italy needs real crisis, maybe default, to resurrect and get rid of all the forces, current politicians in primis, that block any reform.

stefano de santis

BANANA REPUBLIC writes from Desio,a strange italian city were you see la Tour Eiffel watching from the windows.So he loses his mask,sometimes,and calls the italians voting for Berlusconi "Downs",and happily announcing that "we" are gong bankrupt.A strange way of beig italian,a more credible way of being a french emissary feeding xenophobic ideas and living on paid defamations like someone else on this blog.I bet that the bankrupt of Sarkozy at the next elections will come instead of that of Italy,and that BANANA will turn jobless.Those who use such methods have no future:the defamations are the weapon of the desperate,yelling while getting beaten.The world economy can survive and thrive without Sarko,but can't afford the bankrupt of Italy,nor our main allies would permit it.Tell your bosses that they are playing a useless game,Banana.Useless and dangerous.


somebody do something!
Today Berlusconi promised he will stay in power for the whole of 2012
Merkel and Sarkozy should have demanded he step down as part of the package of reforms. I actually assumed they did until yesterday.
The man is the problem. The democratic system in the country is not working, as it allowed him to dumb millions of people with his mass medias.

AND please note that ,as of last week , street protests in rome are against the law. Officially just for one month, but I suspect this will be extended.....
So , even if people suddenly got their brains back, they would not be able to take him down.


Italy's yields are at allready at 6 percent, at that rate Italy is allready insolvent. The only thing keeping the markets from reailizing it is an increasingly shaeky pledge to balance the budget in 2013, and a baseless faith the the new EFSF credit defualt swap style financial mechanism. Once thay reialize the reality staring them in the face the who thing will collapse.

Stefano Rollero

The behavior of Burlasconi is irresponsible behavior. must take note of the collapse, which is realistically grasp the will of Italian citizens who have de-legitimized.
Stubbornly refuses to see reality, look at things as they are today, a country adrift, with no prospect of growth and economic recovery.
Before you go to vote, the better!

Stefano Rollero, Turin


Maybe the first comment, the one of 'lovenaomi', is a message for Silvio Berlusconi! :)

Now seriously, it seems a joke...
Credible proposals, right or wrong, should have a parliamentary argumentation...

As always, bad image of Italy.

I hope the entire world knows Italians are different from their politicians.

stefano de santis

Write,write,oh you defamers paid by he murders of Enrico Mattei.The only true sin of Brlusconi is not the economic crisis of Italy,a lurid slander invented by our enemies:this is a country where 35 millionn cars run on the roads(10 millions more than Britain,5 more than France),people own his real estate in world record percent,our savings big like tha GDP of China.WE are the biggest importer of foreign made cars in europe,with a world record percent on total sales,we owe 55% of our debt,the econmy grew in the past years in the black,which is better than no growth. The crisis was invented by "markets"oriented by gangsters.The sin of BErlusconim is that he won one more war:that of Libya,where the attempted holdup by our "allies" of our contacts failed.That's why the opposition wants a banker linked to the french banks at the helm of the Country(Mario Monti).Our international friends and murders of Mattei are asking for someone not interested to the friendship of Putin(wich means no more SOUTH STREAM),not interested to the libyan oil,very interested to the frindship,to call it this way,of Merkozy.They count on a press and many politicians showing up everydy in TV to ask the change and well present of the paybooks of Paris.Fortunately,Papandreu is taking charge of reminding to everybody where the TRUE crisis is.



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