France’s labor markets and productivity are a mess and one
of President Macron’s biggest challenges. But, Italy’s are even worse, and
there is no sense the politics of the next election will offer a solution.
Italy’s anti-establishment nationalism is intense. Most of
the public in Europe support the Euro despite anti-Euro nationalism. Only in
Italy does a plurality of the public see the Euro as bad (47%) for the country,
not good (41%).
Slow growth, high unemployment, massive debt, low productivity,
rigid labor, trade and professional rules, and a general dissatisfaction with
the center parties gave birth to the Five Star Movement of comedian Beppe Grillo.
The so-called party is mostly run as an online movement, but in 2016, it won the
mayorships in Rome and Turin. It often looks more like a Bernie Sanders caucus
meeting than a national party. But, there is passion and an anti-corruption,
protectionist platform that appeals to Italian workers, businesses and
dissatisfied voters. At 30 percent support, it is currently Italy’s largest
political bloc.
Italy is currently run by an interim government since the
constitutional reform referendum of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi failed in
December and he resigned. A mid-2018 election is likely, and unless one of the
major party groupings can get organized, Five Star could be asked to form a government.
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Beppe Grillo, found of the Five Star Movement and Rome’s
Mayor
Virginia Raggi during a demonstration in November | Gregorio Borgia/AP
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