Global Geopolitical Series: Italy’s political uncertainty turns towards referendum on national sovereignty

Italy plunged into fresh political uncertainties as the country’s President Sergio Mattarella, who was elected by the previous pro-EU government used a veto in a rare move to block the appointment Paolo Savona, the newly formed EU-skeptic coalition’s choice for the finance ministry, citing his long-standing euro-skepticism.

The move infuriated the coalition’s partners (5-Star Movement, League, & Forza Italiana) with 5-Star movement leader Luigi Di Maio calling to impeach the President citing the unconstitutional move. The leader of the League, Matteo Salvini called for nationwide protests over the move. The coalition leaders called for fresh election as the President’s move was perfectly legal, with Salvini calling a snap election as early as September this year, whereas the pro-EU President wants the election to happen next year.

President nominated Carlo Cottarelli, a former IMF official, known for aggressive budget cuts to run a technocratic government.

So, was the move by President a tactical success or a blunder?

It is very likely to turn out as a gamble and blunder as the move proved the point Euro-skeptics have been fighting for. They told voters that the fate of the Italians is no longer in the hands of Italians, it is in the hands of bureaucrats from Germany, France, and Brussels.

While the President’s move could be technically legal, he rejected a Finance minister candidate elected by a majority of the lawmakers citing his euro-skepticism as the ground. The coalition had received almost 70 percent of the votes and there is no reason to believe that if an election is held today, it could be any different, instead, one can expect the Italian people to become more passionate in ensuring that the fate remains at the hands of the Italians.

Insiders already suggest that Matteo Salvini, the country’s Eurosceptic firebrand leader will not fight the election as any other capacity but as the savior of Italian democracy from the grips of Germany, France, and Brussels, which is quite clear from his stirring words, “Italy is not a colony, we are not slaves of the Germans, the French, the spread or finance.”

Technocratic government to fail:

Mr. Mattarella’s bid to pass the country’s austerity-filled budget using a technocratic stop-gap government is likely to fail as the coalition holds super-majority in both the houses. The collapse of the technocratic government will lead to a snap election as early as August or September.