Like Conte's, Draghi's govt seems to be making it up on a daily basis concerning pandemic.
It is as if structural factors (e.g. state capabilities), relations of power state/regions, and: "events, dear boy, events" (e.g. J&J & AZ) mattered more -much more- than identity of PM 🤔
On the other hand, no-one could have predicted this.
Problem with this constant overpromising of "new eras" that always fail to materialise is that it provides the ideal breeding ground for next "anti-elite" entrepreneur who, this time, "will definetely get things done". Feeding a never ending cycle of political disillusionment.
This is one of the topics recently covered by @HaughtonTim's and @DeeganKrause's excellent new book on "The New Party Challenge".
Talks abt Central and Eastern Europe, but it's in fact about Italy... 😉
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Some Italian papers are talking abt the right wing coalition "breaking up", since the parties within it have different positions abt Draghi. Nothing is further from the truth. This is the usual good cop/ bad cop routine they have adopted many times before-which benefits them all.
The facts. Berlusconi has consistently asked for a "Government staffed by the best" to lead the country. Taking part allows him to influence allocation of the goodies of the Recovery Plan, election of next President, while fostering the image that -incredibly- Italian media...
...are unquestioningly perpetuating: that he is a "moderate", "anti-populist", pro-European & some sort of father figure who has de facto become almost super partes now.
This move helps him occupy this niche in view of the next election. It's only 7/8/9% of the electorate?
... they don't even need to be party members (Conte wasn't, in fact Conte could well be one of them). Then he could pick one of two that Berlusconi likes. And he's done it.
(It's clear enough already that no-one is going to focus on policies, just look at the debate today...
... the guy could literally walk into Parliament carrying a blank sheet of paper & improvise for 15 minutes & it would not make the slightest bit of difference).
There is even a precedent, the Ciampi govt of 1993. Ciampi was a former Governor of the Bank of Italy, hence a technocrat, however many of his ministers came from the parties that supported his govt.
In other words, technocratic govts come in different shades of grey...
A detached govt of "technocrats" that only does "what is needed"only exist in some sort of parallel reality, of course.
In fact, it is a profoundly ideological construct.
Draghi will need to decide whether to appeal more to the M5S with his proposals - trying to stem the tide of opposition there - or whether to incentivise the League to back him.
He can of course choose ministers that are in good terms with certain parties (or even members), or pick them all "from the professions".
These are all inherently (and important) political acts that will decide if his govt even takes off.
1/ Major Italian parties are sticking to the script concerning the recent agreement reached by EU finance ministers, according to whether they support the govt or not, & also what they need to do to compete with their own allies (e.g. League vs. Brothers of Italy). /THREAD/
2/ Makes perfect sense: the agreement is ambiguous, hard to interpret, hence citizens will take their cue from parties on whether glass half full or empty.
How these decisions will be framed in next couple days is crucial.
3/ Partito Democratico. Leader has not made comments via social media as yet (hello@nzingaretti!), but inevitably they’ll stick to the line of PD Finance Minister Gualtieri. Frame: All in all, a good first step, but Euro/Coronabonds still on the table (Netherlands say: not so)..
So, apparently Italian govt will learn his fate tonight, as former PM & leader of tiny Italia Viva party, @matteorenzi, is hosted with great fanfare by major current affairs programme #portaaporta.
@matteorenzi He’s promised to make an important statement, certainly would prefer to "retire" @GiuseppeConteIT and change PM.
There’s a small hitch: he cannot know for sure how many senators from is own party are ready to switch sides & continue to support Conte if he pulls the plug on him.
@matteorenzi@GiuseppeConteIT 3/ & even if he knew that, he cannot know how many from Forza Italia & ‘gruppo misto’ (including former M5S reps) may be willing to do the same. Because he does not know what incentives good old PD & M5S may have offered them in private.