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Italy in the European Union.Pdf Italy in the European Union POL S 346/JSIS A 302: Europeanizaon of poli:cal systems Spring Term 2017 Frank Wendler May 23, 2017 Italy in the EU From top leL clockwise to center: Signing of the Treaty of Rome founding the EEC in 1957, former Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi, EU Foreign Policy Representave Federica Mogherini, 5-Star Movement leader Beppe Grillo, a scene with refugees on Lampedusa, portal of Italian bank Monte dei Paschi and President Obama with Italian PM Maeo Renzi in 2016. Three theses about Italy’s membership in the European Union (1) Membership in the European Union has worked as an almost con:nuous pressure for economic and poli:cal reform in Italy. (2) These economic and poli:cal reforms are hard to realize because of the specific structure of Italy’s poli:cal system, which combines a strong ins:tu:onal consensus democracy with high poli:cal polarizaon. (3) The result is that Europeanizaon has increased the centrifugal tendencies of Italian poli:cs, leaving three main op:ons for a resolu:on: an:-elite populism, technocrac government or ins:tu:onal reform. ‘Gli Esami Non Finiscono Mai’ Vincent della Sala ‘Gli Esami Non Finiscono Mai’: The EU as an ininite test of Italy’s modernization • Italy as a founding member of the EEC 1957 • Post-war stabiliziaon and rehabilitaon • Par:cipaon in the Single Market • EC Single Market as a test of Italy’s compe::veness • Membership in the Eurozone • Far-reaching economic and social reform passed to meet membership criteria • Link between EU Membership and domes:c poli:cal reform • 2016 cons:tu:onal referendum: perceived as a cri:cal test for Italy to manage challenges of Europeanizaon Applying Europeanization theory to the case of Italy • Top-down Europeanizaon: EU as a factor of modernizaon • Pressures on domes:c reform: labour market, social policy, fiscal policy, structural and investment policy • BoYom up Europeanizaon: Elusive influence in the EU • Italy as the key voice and representave of Southern Europe? • Horizontal Europeanizaon: The results of interdependence • Immigraon: Italy as a ‘frontline state’, among the most heavily affected EU Member States (disadvantaged by Dublin rules) • Eurozone crisis: Italy as the cri:cal Member State (‘too big to fail’) The political system of Italy in a nutshell • Strong ins:tu:onal consensus requirements... • ‘Perfect bicameralism’ creates strong consensus requirement • Propor:onal vo:ng system increases number of relevant par:es • ... combined with party poli:cal polarizaon and instability... • Strong economic and cultural differences between North & South • Corrup:on scandals, breakdown of party system in 1990s • ... create dysfunc:on and pressure for reform. • Dysfunc:on: Poli:cal gridlock and rise of populist par:es • Pressure for reform: especially of vo:ng system and bicameralism • Short-term responses: between populism and ‘unmediated government’ Italy’s two chambers of parliament: ‘bicameralismo perfetto’ • Two chambers of parliament: Camera dei Deputa and Senato • Both chambers are equally involved in legislave decision-making • The execu:ve is accountable to BOTH chambers of parliaments; EITHER one can move a vote of no confidence • Both chambers are directly elected, but according to slightly different rules (oLen resul:ng in incongruent majori:es) • Elec:ons are based on propor:onal representaon (resul:ng in a large number of parliamentary par:es) Two features of the Italian politics: Political polarization in a consensus system • Consensus ins:tu:ons • The Italian poli:cal system has almost all ins:tu:onal features of a consensus democracy: par:cularly a strong bicameral parliament, a strong judiciary, and a propor:onal vo:ng system • Poli:cal polarizaon • However, poli:cal polarizaon is quite strong, par:cularly through the structure of the party system and the relaons between the state and the regions è The result is frequent gridlock, strong instability of governments and discontent with the poli:cal system Political polarization and gridlock: three responses (1) Populism (Mainstream populism: Berlusconi, leL-wing populism: 5 star movement) (2) Technocrac, all-party government (“unmediated democracy”, according to Culpepper 2014) (3) Poli:cal reform (referendum on a reform of the poli:cal system ini:ated in 2016) The referendum An attempt of resolving the gridlock: was a centerpiece of PM Maeo the 2016 constitutional referendum Renzi’s reform agenda • What was at stake? • The cons:tu:onal reform proposed diminishing the influence of the upper house of parliament (Senate), hence increasing the effec:veness of decision-making and increasing the stability of governments holding a majority in the lower chamber (Chamber of Depues) • Why did voters decide against the cons:tu:onal reform? • Mostly because of resistance against a centralizaon of the Italian state, for two regions: • Economic and cultural dispari:es between North and South • Historical memories and taboos arising from Italy’s fascist past • What are the implicaons? • PM Renzi stepped down, and his agenda of poli:cal reform is perceived as failed • The scheduling of the next general elec:on is unclear, and the leL- wing populist 5-Star Movement is expected to do well Early 1990s: Breakdown of the PCI and enter Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi: a polarizing politician Berlusoni’s populist appeal to Italian voters • The self-made businessman • Rise form humble beginnings to real estate investor, media tycoon and mul:-billionaire • The an:-establishment candidate • Self-depic:on as a challenger of the established poli:cal class, a down-to-earth businessman with no interest in a party career • The jovial man of the people • Hedonis:c lifestyle and jovial humour used to win sympathies • The man in control of the media • Direct control over 3 major commercial naonal TV staons, indirect control over public television through his influence as Prime Minister Italian governments since Berlusconi’s departure • Mario Mon: forms a technocrac caretaker government (2011-2013) • Enrico Lea leads a fragile grand coali:on (2013-14) • Maeo Renzi leads a government of the center-leL, promising encompassing poli:cal and economic reforms • ALer the failed referendum of 2016, he is replaced by curent PM Paolo Gen:loni Unmediated democracy: the polar opposite to populism • Posi:ve appraisal of elite competence and leadership • Emphasis on collec:ve, technocrac decision-making • Denial of voluntarism and popular sovereignty • Recogni:on of challenges resul:ng from de-naonalizaon • Legi:macy based on substan:ve results, not popular approval The personiications of unmediated democracy and populism: Berlusconi and Monti • Charismac party leader, mul:ple • Sober, professional, serious, elecon winner, successful competent, yet uYerly businessman, scandalous yet uncharismac, with a background admired man of the people in academia and the EU Commission, not elected and with an unpleasant, uninspiring poli:cal program A response to unmediated democracy? The rise of the 5-star movement • An:-establishment discourse and demands for increased transparency • Rejec:on of poli:cal coali:ons with established par:es • Rejec:on of reform policies pursued by established par:es M 5 S leader Beppe Grillo, a and requested by the Eurozone former TV comedian • Dual character: leader-oriented populist party, combined with civic par:cipatory demands Conclusion: back to the beginning • Strong ins:tu:onal consensus requirements... • ‘Perfect bicameralism’ creates strong consensus requirement • Propor:onal vo:ng system increases number of relevant par:es • ... combined with party poli:cal polarizaon and instability... • Strong economic and cultural differences between North & South • Corrup:on scandals, breakdown of party system in 1990s • ... create dysfunc:on and pressure for reform. • Dysfunc:on: Poli:cal gridlock and rise of populist par:es • Pressure for reform: especially of vo:ng system and bicameralism • Short-term responses: between populism and ‘unmediated government’ Retrospective: three responses to pressures for reform • Technocrac, all-party government (‘unmediated democracy’): Jaylen • Mainstream populism: Silvio Berlusconi (Allison) • An:-establishment populism: the Five Star Movement (Chase) .
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