guardian news Italy looks set for fresh elections as it enters third month without government

[umbertino]

Goodbye to Gomorrah: the end of Italy's most notorious housing estate (in Naples)

Famous as the setting for the hit film and TV series Gomorrah, the towers of Le Vele ("sails") became synonymous with poverty and organised crime – until residents took charge

 

by Sophia Seymour with photographs by Roberto Salomone

Fri 17 May 2019 06.00 BST

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/may/17/goodbye-to-gomorrah-the-end-of-italys-most-notorious-housing-estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

League,M5S spar on teacher suspended over Mussolini comparison

Salvini calls it 'inopportune', M5S file 'censorship' question

 

Redazione ANSA Rome

17 May 201914:58 News

 

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/05/17/leaguem5s-spar-on-teacher-suspended-on-mussolini-comparison_7c62e190-d27a-45d8-b017-709215786d17.html

 

 

Salvini calls it "inopportune"......Bitter laugh...........He is the inopportune one.Period

[umbertino]

Why a wave of anti-Salvini protests is sweeping Italy

 

The removal of a protest banner against Italian far-right League leader and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has sparked widespread protests around the country

 

The Local/AFP

news@thelocal.it
@thelocalitaly

17 May 2019

09:09 CEST+02:00

 

 

The previously sporadic protests became a wave after authorities in northern city Bergamo on Monday ordered firefighters to remove a banner reading "You're not welcome” ahead of the minister's visit.

 

Photo and video footage of the removal went viral, triggering widespread anger and concerns about attempts to curb freedom of expression and peaceful protest.

 

In response, protestors hung hundreds of similar protest banners in the city of Campobasso on Wednesday ahead of Salvini's rally,

Protests continued in Naples on Thursday, where Salvini received an even colder reception from residents angry about the minister insulting southern Italians.

 

The wave of protest comes as the social-media obsessed anti-immigrant League party leader continues his tour of Italy, frantically campaigning ahead of next week's European parliamentary elections.

 

Banners across Naples told Salvini he wasn't welcome ahead of his arrival for a securty meeting in the city, and riot police were sent in to quell protests as anti-League demonstrators gathered in a city square.

 

"Salvini go home!", "Naples doesn't want you!", "No to the minister of hate", read some of the banners hanging from the city's famed balconies.

 

«I terroni non dimenticano», a Campobasso 200 striscioni contro Salvini -Video https://t.co/G0F5F59xEE pic.twitter.com/FjKMU90Fno

— Corriere della Sera (@Corriere) May 15, 2019

 

Many banners in Campobasso, Naples and elsewhere made references to “terroni”, a derogatory word equivalent to “rednecks” or “country bumpkins” that Salvini has used to describe southerners.

 

Salvini frequently derided southern Italians before his northern-separatist party, formerly known as the Northern League, became a national entity, chasing votes across the country with its “Italians first” slogan.

 

A Scampia hanno scelto #salvinitoglianchequesti pic.twitter.com/Xg7rYsckTq

— Luciano McFly-mi sono lavato grazie (@sgrigno) May 15, 2019

The minister has been widely mocked on social media, as Twitter users post photos of their favourite protest banners under the hashtag #Salvinitoglianchequesti (Salvini take these down as well)

 

#salvinitoglianchequesti Per fortuna si “twitta” anche dai balconi. https://t.co/VqB2HVpYt2 pic.twitter.com/aBeOiv8tnh

— Michele Antonietti (@Michele_Hitch) May 16, 2019

 

"When are you going to work?" asked other banners, after Italian daily La Repubblica revealed this week that Salvini had spent just 17 days at the interior ministry so far this year.

 

Other banners goaded the nationalist about the 49 million euros of misspent public money that his party is supposed to pay back in instalments, or the Zorro toy Salvini revealed this week was stolen from him as a child.

 

"Some of the banners make me laugh," Salvin tweeted, claiming that there have been 126 banners this year containing “insults and death threats”.

 

Abbiamo un vincitore #salvinitoglianchequesti pic.twitter.com/acfnbBa5Jz

— Ro Berta (@RoBertaAndena) May 15, 2019

 

Protestors also continue to play photo and video pranks on the minister while he thinks they're posing for selfies.

 

The trend took off after two women kissed in a photo with the minister, known for his anti-LGBT views, and police seized the phone of a woman who made a video of herself asking Salvini whether he still thought southerners were “terroni”.

 

Meanwhile, prosecutors in Rome have opened an investigation following allegations in Italian media that Salvini has been misusing police aircraft to attend League party rallies around Italy. The minister denies any wrongdoing.

 

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190517/why-a-wave-of-anti-salvini-banner-protests-sweeps-italy

 

About time.....Good

 

Use any free anon proxy for accessing site  in order to view pics

Edited May 17, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Italy tells rescue ship carrying migrants to stay away

 

The Sea-Watch charity ship reported rescuing 65 migrants in distress off Libya on Wednesday, sparking an immediate warning from Rome to stay away from Italian waters

 

The Local/AFP

news@thelocal.it
@thelocalitaly

16 May 2019

09:30 CEST+02:00

 

 

The Dutch-flagged Sea-Watch 3 had found the migrants, including 11 women, two babies, 13 children and a handicapped person in international waters some 30 nautical miles off the coast of Libya

Many among the group were dehydrated and exhausted, Sea-Watch said in a statement, adding "In the Mediterranean there are fewer witnesses but not fewer departures" by people trying to reach Europe.

 

Again 65 humans are left adrift, as authorities fail to assign a #PortOfSafety. Our crew is taking care of our guests, they are ok, but crammed on little space, awaiting instructions. It´s the time for the #EU to show it´s ability to act and for the closest safe port to open!

— Sea-Watch International (@seawatch_intl) May 15, 2019

 

In Rome, far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini issued a snap directive banning the Sea Watch vessel from entering Italian territorial waters, saying "our ports are and remain closed".

 

Despite Salvini's repeated “closed ports” claims, 66 migrants rescued at sea by the Italian navy and a charity ship disembarked at a port in Italy last Friday, while 147 refugees were recently brought to Italy by plane.

 

Meanwhile, three died and dozens more went missing after another migrant boat capsized off Tunisia

 

Last January the Sea-Watch 3 ship picked up 47 migrants who then had to spend 12 days at sea before being allowed to disembark at Catania in Sicily after a deal was struck with several European countries to take them in.

 

Salvini then called for the ship to be seized for “aiding clandestine immigration” and the vessel was blocked for three weeks in Catania before being allowed to leave without charges.

 

Sea-Watch 3 went on to Marseille in France and ended up blocked in the port for three months as it battled attempts in the Netherlands to limit its work.

 

The vessel finally sailed again on Saturday with the non-profit organisation saying it was now the only civilian rescue ship in the central Mediterranean as other charity vessels remain  caught in administrative and legal red tape.

Italy's populist government has taken a hard line on migration, and Salvini, head of the anti-immigrant League party, last month tried to ban charity vessels from rescuing migrants off Libya.

 

Italy’s government is now planning to introduce fines for NGO rescue boats of up to €5,500 for each migrant they disembark on to Italian soil.

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190516/italy-tells-rescue-ship-carrying-migrants-to-stay-away

 

 

Shameful in the least......

Edited May 17, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Europe’s far-right leaders unite with a vow to ‘change history’

 

Matteo Salvini and Marine Le Pen are joining with allies to create what may be the third-largest bloc in the European parliament

 

Angela Giuffrida

Sat 18 May 2019 21.10 BST Last modified on Sat 18 May 2019 21.12 BST

 

 

Geert Wilders, left, Matteo Salvini, centre, and Marine Le Pen at a rally of European nationalist and far-right parties in Milan

Photograph: Alessandro Garofalo/Reuters

 

 

 

More pics

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/18/europe-far-right-leaders-unite-milan-vow-to-change-history

 

 

They are not going to get my vote next Sunday (May 26)

Edited May 18, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Teacher suspended after her pupils criticise Italian far-right law

 

Schoolchildren’s video presentation compared Salvini decree to 1930s racial laws

 

Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo

Sun 19 May 2019 11.10 BST

 

 

Students protest in Palermo against the suspension of Rosa Maria Dell’Aria

Photograph: Igor Petyx/EPA

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/19/teacher-suspended-pupils-italian-far-right-law-salvini-decree

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Italy vows to move forward with migrant port closure decree over U.N. opposition

 

The Italian interior ministry vowed Sunday to press ahead with a new decree formalizing the closure of Italian ports to aid groups that rescue migrants, even after U.N. human rights investigators said it violated international law.

 

 

By - Associated Press - Updated: 8:55 a.m. on Sunday, May 19, 2019

 

 

FILE - In this Friday, Dec. 21, 2018 file photo, a baby is loaded into the rescue vessel of the Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms, after being rescued in the Central Mediterranean Sea at 45 miles (72 kilometers) from Al ... more >

 

 

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/may/19/italy-port-closure-decree-violates-migrants-rights/

 

 

This Country (esp. with these here rulers...Salvini etc) is getting worse and dangerously fascist  by the day giving up common sense, humanity and more on a lot of issues ( including elementary Economics...).....Let's see what happens after next Sunday EU elections.....

Edited May 19, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Saudi arms ship docks in Genoa despite port strikes

 

20 May 2019

 

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8106

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coalition clash after migrants disembarked from Sea Watch

 

20 May 2019

 

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8104

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

League Mayor arrested on accounts of corruption

 

19 May 2019

 

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8103

 

 

"We are different"...Yeah right........You're thieves just like anybody else and besides you're fascist

[umbertino]

UN confirms criticism of govt's new security package

Proposal includes fines for those who help migrants at sea

Redazione ANSA Geneva

20 May 201915:12 News

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/05/20/un-confirms-criticism-of-salvinis-new-security-package_2312c203-6ae3-4c40-831f-d505e63342f1.html

 

 

The funny / sad, tragicomic last news is that a female  employee  or executive of Viminale ( ministry of interior headquarters in Rome) got arrested yesterday or the day before for running a fake citizenship ring  along with an Egyptian  man in Rome.....

 

Matteo Salvini, the tough rightwing guy against immigration IS  the current minister of Interior....Which means this woman worked directly for him....It seems that so far about 2,500 fake citizenships were given in exchange for money.....More on this  as  soon as it comes out in English.......No comment from Salvini so far......That's somehow surreal.....

 

Edited May 20, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Ecuadorian ambassador warns of need for humanity

 

21 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8111

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Possible NYC Mafia involvement in Capaci (Palermo) bombing

 

21 May 2019

 

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8110

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capaci_bombing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coalition clash after migrants disembarked from Sea Watch

 

20 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8104

 

 

Edited May 21, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Cittadinanza agli immigrati, 1.500 pratiche false: in carcere dipendente del Viminale (Citizenship to immigrants, 1,500 fake documents: Ministry of Interiors employee jailed)

 

Di

Ludovica Colli

20 Maggio 2019

 

 

 

https://www.ilprimatonazionale.it/primo-piano/cittadinanza-immigrati-pratiche-false-viminale-118700/

 

Still waiting for an article in English.....Here it says they are starting to revoke citizenships....Obviously....

 

Six arrested so far.....19 people investigated.....

 

[umbertino]

 

EU elections.....Not much of a choice....I'll have to go with the least worse...Of course ( just like everything else in life) it's always a matter of perspective.....

 

https://www.european-left.org/

 

 

https://www.politico.eu/2019-european-elections/

Edited May 21, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Informant reveals dark world of the Banda della Magliana (Magliana  gang)

 

22 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8121

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Study finds plastic pollution on Italy's Alpine glaciers

 

22 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8122

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teenage girl released following self-defence manslaughter

 

22 May 2019

 

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8114

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insider View: Conniving with CasaPound (fascist group)

 

22 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8118

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sandrini freed in Syria

Freed by Qaeda-linked group from 'criminal gang' near Idlib

 

Redazione ANSA Rome

22 May 201918:11 News

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/05/22/sandrini-freed-in-syria_1101abc0-affe-4507-b462-ad1da3614016.html

 

[umbertino]

US mafia explosives expert 'helped Sicilian mob kill judge'

 

Informant says American helped Cosa Nostra assassinate Giovanni Falcone in 1992

 

Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo

Thu 23 May 2019 13.43 BST

 

 

The anti-mafia investigator Giovanni Falcone, right, was murdered by the mafia in 1992

Photograph: Associated Press

 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/23/us-mafia-explosives-expert-helped-sicilian-mob-kill-judge

 

 

Today is the 27th anniversary of Giovanni Falcone murder ( along with his wife and 5 policemen)....A piece of highway  between Punta Raisi airport ( he was coming from Rome and the security officers and his wife had gone fetch him)  and the city of Palermo blew up when the cars were passing....

 

2 months later, the other important anti-mafia judge ( and friend of  G.Falcone) Paolo Borsellino was also killed

 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capaci_bombing

 

 

 

Paolo Borsellino murder

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_D'Amelio_bombing

 

 

 

 

 

[umbertino]

Italian 'Satanic panic' case returns to court two decades later

 

Book says officials manipulated children into making abuse claims, leading to convictions, family separations and deaths

 

Angela Giuffrida in Rome

Thu 23 May 2019 14.16 BST

 

 

Federico Scotta was accused of belonging to a sprawling paedophile network and was jailed for more than eight years

Photograph: Facebook

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/23/italian-satanic-panic-victim-hopes-to-clear-his-name-in-court

 

[umbertino]

Foreigners rank Italy 'worst place in Europe' for internet and paying without cash

 

International residents in Italy are less satisfied with digital services, such as the internet or being able to pay for things without cash than anywhere else in Europe. Foreigners in Germany, France and Spain also had gripes, however Denmark and Sweden fared better

 

 

The Local

news@thelocal.it
@thelocalitaly

22 May 2019

16:17 CEST+02:00

 

 

Italy ranked 57th out of 68 countries around the world when foreign residents were asked to rate the ease of accessing high-speed internet, paying without cash, getting a mobile phone number and other basic digital services, says InterNations, an information and networking site for people living overseas.

 

Germany was ranked the second worst in Europe, mostly because of the difficulty foreigners had in getting a mobile phone (More on Germany, Spain, France, Sweden and Denmark below).

 

Its Digital Life Abroad report places Italy not just behind everywhere in Europe but several countries with a far lower GDP, including Kenya, the Dominican Republic, Kazakhstan and Vietnam. 

 

While three-quarters of expats worldwide were happy with their internet access at home, in Italy the number dropped to 61 percent. The same percentage said it was easy to pay in Italy without cash, compared to 78 percent globally.

 

Some 82 percent of foreigners in Italy said they'd found getting a mobile phone number simple, slightly below the global average of 86 percent.

 

International residents were marginally more satisfied with the availability of administrative or government services online, and positively happy with their access to social media: 81 percent of expats reported being satisfied on that count, just above the global average of 80 percent.

 

Italy has long lagged behind other EU countries when it comes to internet access (in fact it's such a running joke that The Local once pulled an April Fools' about it).

According to the latest figures available from national statistics office Istat, just 69 percent of Italian households had an internet connection in 2016, plummeting to 21 percent among the over-65s.

 

Poorer, southern regions have proved the slowest to get online: in Calabria and Sicily, less than 60 percent of households were connected to the net.

 

Those of us who move abroad often find ourselves even more reliant on technology than most, whether it's to keep in touch with people back home, work remotely, or manage bank accounts and other admin overseas.

 

Worldwide, newcomers were most impressed with digital services in Estonia, Finland and Norway, while Egypt, China and Myanmar performed worst.

 

InterNations questioned a total of 18,135 residents in 187 countries for its survey, but counted only countries where at least 75 people had taken part.

 

 

What the survey revealed about other countries

 

4. Denmark

An excellent 4th place in terms of digital life helps Denmark to make up for its bottom 10 positions for leisure options (64th out of 68 countries) and personal happiness (66th): it comes in 24th place for quality of life overall. The Nordic country ranks 2nd worldwide for the ease of cashless payments (97% satisfied vs. 78% globally), only beaten by Finland. Additionally, nine in ten expats living in Denmark (90%) rate the availability of administrative or government online services positively (vs. 55% globally), while over half (57%) even claim that it is very good (vs. just 23% globally).

 

Only getting a local mobile phone number does not seem to be all that easy in Denmark (46th out of 68 countries), with 6% stating to be unhappy with this factor (about the same as the global average of 7%).

 

 

11. Sweden

While Sweden narrowly misses out on a spot in the top 10 countries for digital life, its excellent ranking here still makes up the country’s low places in other areas of the Quality of Life Index such as leisure options (66th out of 68) and personal happiness (65th). Sweden gets top marks for being a cashless society (95% positive ratings vs. 78% globally), only beaten by Finland and Denmark worldwide.

 

Expats in Sweden are also happy with the easy access to high-speed internet (15th) and the availability of government or administrative services online (12th): more than four in five expats (83%) rate the former factor positively (vs. 75% globally), and 78% say the same about the availability of government services online (vs. 55% globally).

However, getting a local mobile phone number seems to be a weak area of Sweden’s digital life (54th), with just 81% finding this easy compared to a global average of 86%.

 

 

23. Spain

Coming in 23rd out of 68 countries for digital life, Spain receives mediocre rankings across the board. The country ranks 25th for both the unrestricted access to online services such as social media (91% satisfied vs. 80% globally) and the availability of administrative/government services online. In fact, just 56% are happy with the latter, compared to 55% globally.

 

However, almost nine in ten expats (89%) agree that it is easy to pay without cash in the country, which is eleven percentage points above the global average (78%), but still results in a mediocre 29th place for this factor. Spain gains its lowest ranks for the ease of getting high-speed internet access at home (30th) and for getting a local mobile phone number (37th).

35. France

With a generally poor performance in terms of digital life, it might be no surprise that one Dutch expat states: “France is very backward when it comes to computer literacy. They could really improve in this area.” 

 

The country receives its lowest ratings for the ease of getting a local mobile phone number (56th out of 68 countries), with just 81% saying it is easy, compared to 86% globally.

 

France also performs below average in terms of high-speed internet at home (43rd), as less than three-quarters (73%) agree that it is easy to access (vs. 75% globally).

 

Coming in 30th for both the availability of online administrative/government services and the ease of paying without cash, these are France’s best results regarding digital life. In fact, 86% of expats find paying without cash easy, compared to 78% globally.

53. Germany

Its below-average ranking for digital life (53rd out of 68 countries) has partly contributed to Germany not making it into the top 10 countries for quality of life for the first time since 2014 (26th out of 68 in 2018). Germany even ranks among the bottom 10 countries in the world for two factors surveyed within the Digital Life subcategory: the ease of getting a local mobile phone number (61st) and paying without cash (59th).

 

Just four in five expats (80%) find it simple to get a phone number (vs. 86% globally), and just about half (53%) agree that it is easy to pay without cash (vs. 78% globally). 

 

“It is a bit annoying that Germany is almost a complete cash society,” shares an expat from Australia. Germany’s ranks for getting access to high-speed internet at home (51st) and unrestricted access to online services such as social media (40th) are just slightly better.

 

However, despite ranking in the bottom half for the latter, 85% of expats in Germany are still satisfied with this factor (vs. 80% globally).

 

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190522/italy-is-the-worst-place-in-europe-to-use-internet-or-pay-without-cash-internations-digital-survey

 

Access site through a free anon proxy in order to view pic and Chart

[umbertino]

Berlusconi unfit for office, says Antimafia Commission

24 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8134

 

Good....Being almost 83 and extra-full of BS...He'd better retire and enjoy his Billions and his young groupies ( and leave us alone, at least politically, after 25 years of absurdities and ridicule....)...

 

Such an Over-inflated ego it's not funny anymore....

 

Edited May 24, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Salvini, Di Maio spar as they wrap up campaigns

Coalition partners battling each other for votes

 

Redazione ANSA Rome

24 May 201918:23 News

 

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/05/24/salvini-di-maio-spar-as-campaign-wraps-up_39bd0820-f02f-4003-9024-94416af25d30.html

 

 

Great...Not long after the EU elections ( May 26)  there will be a Gov't crisis (most likely...) which is fantastic as this one has been by far the worst  Gov't this Country has ever had since  the 2nd WW and the return of Democracy.....And I'm the first in admitting we did have many bad Gov'ts  in this Country.....This being the absolute WORST...Arrogant, uncapable, incompetent folks ( in both parties...5 Star Movement and Lega / League...the latter being also  fascist and racist)

Edited May 24, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Probe into violent Genoa protest and how it was policed

Newspaper "La Repubblica" said one of its reporters was injured by police

 

Redazione ANSA Genoa

24 May 201914:10 News

 

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/general_news/2019/05/24/probe-into-policing-of-genoa-protest_38bc5ad0-8b23-47e2-9867-66f10f3594ac.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bringing back Mussolini: Fascism emerges from the shadows in Italy

 

May 23, 2019 1:16 PM CDT By Colleen Barry

 

 

 

 

Fringe far-right political parties are emboldened to shout fascist slogans and raise one-armed fascist salutes in protest against placing Roma (gypsy) families, a minority persecuted in World War II, in public housing in the capital Rome, Sept. 8, 2017. | Gregorio Borgia / AP

 

 

 

https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/bringing-back-mussolini-fascism-emerges-from-the-shadows-in-italy/

 

These fascist groups ( CasaPound and Forza Nuova)  have been marching  and rallying  shamelessly and fearlessly in the last 12 months as they feel the current minister of Interior Matteo Salvini shares much of their fascist ideals

[umbertino]

How EU elections could lead yet another Italian government to collapse

 

The League and its leader, Matteo Salvini, have lost support from its coalition partner and the public in the run-up to the EU vote. The outcome could lead to a drastic shake-up, says Italian politics expert Daniele Albertazzi

 

 

25 May 2019

09:09 CEST+02:00

 

 

Since Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister, interior minister and leader of the League, announced in April 2019 his intention to create a new continent-wide eurosceptic group in the European Parliament – the European Alliance for Peoples and Nations (EAPN) – there has been much speculation about what it may do following the European elections.

 

But the fact that Marine Le Pen’s National Rally from France, Geert Wilders’ Party of Freedom from the Netherlands, the Belgian Vlaams Belang, the Danish People’s party and others have all agreed to join suggests that Salvini is now recognised as a successful leader well beyond Italy’s borders.

 

It’s interesting to reflect on why Salvini is bothering at all. After all, his main focus since becoming the League’s leader in 2013 has been on domestic politics. But he is ultimately eyeing the Italian premiership, so it matters if he is acknowledged as someone who is able to set the agenda in Europe.

 

The fact that Salvini headlined a eurosceptic protest in Milan on May 18th, which was also attended by several populist, radical right leaders from across Europe – including Le Pen and Wilders – is further evidence of this.

 

But bad news has been piling up on Salvini and his party in recent weeks – and while the League is still expected to do extremely well in the forthcoming European elections, its final tally is likely to be lower than predicted only a month ago.

 

 

A negative trend?

In April, the League was expected to win 37 percent of the Italian vote, but support for the party has been shrinking in recent weeks. It has now dropped to around 30 percent, according to some polls. Nevertheless, after securing just 6.2 percent in the last European election, that would still be an extremely strong performance by the League.

 

If the final tally ends up coming in under 30 percent, you can expect most Italian commentators to focus on the party haemorrhaging support in the run-up to the election – rather than the number of additional seats it would have captured.

 

Salvini’s personal approval rating has also dropped by 7 percent (from 59 to 52 percent) in the last two months, and opposition to his policies and persona has become more vocal across Italy.

 

In the meantime, the League’s partner in government, the Five Star Movement (M5S), and the opposition Democratic Party, have both regained ground.

 

The forced departure from government of the League’s undersecretary for transport, Armando Siri, as he faces an investigation into alleged corruption, has taken a toll, too. M5S used to let Salvini dominate the agenda, but is now asserting itself as the dominant coalition partner, and very much lobbied the prime minister, Giuseppe Conte, to get rid of Siri.

 

Indeed, if the League’s result in the European elections suggests to Salvini that the party’s star is waning, he may be tempted to cut his losses and put an end to the coalition government. What would follow such a move, however, is highly uncertain.

 

 

What next?

The autumn budget would be the perfect opportunity for Salvini to take radical action. Because of agreements successive Italian executives have made with the European Commission to keep the country’s deficit under control, the League and M5S will need to find savings of about €23 billion – or else raise VAT.

 

Salvini and M5S leader, Luigi Di Maio, have repeated many times that they have no intention of approving such a hike, aware that it would impact negatively on the economy, and obviously be noticed by consumers. Given the sluggish economy in recent months, however, it is unclear how the government can avoid it.

 

Salvini has so far refrained from cashing in on the considerable popularity he has enjoyed since becoming interior minister about a year ago to try and force fresh elections.

 

But the combination of shrinking support for the League and having to deliver unpopular financial measures could tilt the balance in favour of such a move. It would also allow Salvini to avoid taking responsibility for a budget “written by Brussels”.

 

But if he wants to dissolve the government and hold another election, Salvini’s narrative will need to change fast – so far, he has sold himself as a force for stability, an image out of step with forcing Italy to the polls yet again.

 

Then there is the question of whether fresh elections could even be held as quickly as Salvini would like. After all, the executive could simply end up being replaced by another, supported by a different governing majority, as, if this government collapses, parliamentary arithmetic means that no single party, or leader, would be in control of what happens next.

 

If M5S gives the League a good reason to take the plunge – and particularly if the League can credibly frame its coalition partner as wishing to comply with the EU’s fiscal requirements and standing in the way of further tax cuts – then the game may be on.

 

But these are big ifs. If Salvini decides to act, expect his narrative to change rapidly over coming months and, providing he has his way, new elections in spring 2020.

The bottom line is that Salvini’s next big moves could be brought about by the League’s problems, rather than its successes.

 

Daniele Albertazzi, Senior Lecturer in European Politics, University of Birmingham

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

 

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190525/how-eu-elections-could-lead-to-collapse-of-yet-another-italian-government

 

You can use any free anon proxy in order to access site and view pics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[umbertino]

Salvini's League triumphs in European elections

Support for M5S slumps to 17%, PD second with over 22%

 

Redazione ANSA Rome

27 May 201918:34 News

 

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/05/27/salvinis-league-triumphs-in-european-elections_e72b1b98-4661-4d53-a705-676263396fbc.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EC to send Italy letter over its debt

Bloomberg says govt risks 3.5-bn-euro penalty

 

Redazione ANSA Brussels

27 May 201916:17 News

 

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/05/27/ec-to-send-italy-letter-over-its-debt_63a6c95c-280f-4b3b-bcc9-82f3b94e4f5c.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PD out to be alternative to 'dangerous' govt - Zingaretti

Nationalist attack on Europe failed says party leader

 

Redazione ANSA Rome

27 May 201915:29 News

 

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/05/27/pd-out-to-be-alternative-to-dangerous-govt-zingaretti_5d0f495d-3dbb-438c-b7d1-96447562485e.html

 

 

[umbertino]

Far-right League victory in EU vote strains Italian government

 

“The fuse that will lead to the government's collapse has been lit”, said Italian political experts on Monday following the League's EU election triumph

 

 

AFP

news@thelocal.it
@thelocalitaly

27 May 2019

12:52 CEST+02:00

 

 

The success of the eurosceptic, anti-migrant League party at the European elections has raised questions in Italy over the current populist coalition government's future.

 

The League won more than 34 percent of the Italian vote, compared to just six percent in the 2014 EU elections and 17 percent in the Italian general election last year.

 

The results confirm the reversal of fortunes of the League and its coalition partner, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), which took 32.5 percent at the general election but took home just 17 percent on Sunday.

 

"We can expect a week of frenetic negotiations to see how everyone will reposition themselves," said Giovanni Orsina, politics professor at Rome's LUISS University.

 

The League victory and M5S collapse in popularity "is explosive in terms of the consequences for government stability," political analyst Stefano Folli wrote in the Repubblica daily.

 

"We're not talking tomorrow, or the day after, but the fuse which will lead to the government's collapse has been lit," he said.

 

The League snapped up votes from both the M5S and the opposition, with a hardline stance on migration and a savvy multimedia team bombarding Italians with selfies of leader Matteo Salvini.

 

The party did particularly well in centres seen as migration "hot spots", including a town held up as a model of integration.

 

 

"A miracle

 

Salvini's victory had been widely expected, despite the M5S taking advantage of embarrassing corruption scandals involving the far-right party.

 

The interior minister sparked an outcry at a rally in the run-up to the vote by holding aloft a rosary seen by many as a gratuitous prop, and calling for the Virgin Mary to carry him to victory.

 

"Salvini was convinced he could do it. The (corruption) investigations made the League lose five to six points, but then he pulled out his rosary. And perhaps he really did get a miracle," Marco Valbruzzi from the Istituto Cattaneo research institute said.

 

M5S head Luigi Di Maio suggested the League had got one over on it because of political attacks which initially went unchallenged.

 

Salvini - who celebrated by tweeting a photo of himself grinning and holding a sign saying "top party in Italy" - is now likely to try to force the M5S's hand on every plan it has contested since the coalition formed in June 2018.

 

"I ask for an acceleration on the government programme," the 46-year-old said, brandishing Roman Catholic rosary beads.

 

The main questions at stake are a high-speed rail line between the cities of Turin and Lyon in France, and a flat tax proposal.

 

"Too silent"

 

"Perhaps we were too silent, too pure at the beginning, and if that was our mistake I take responsibility," he said Monday.

 

The results place Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte in an increasingly difficult position. The leader agreed upon by Salvini and Di Maio is purportedly independent but was a M5S pick.

 

Analysts say Salvini may be tempted to break up the coalition and join forces with others on the right.

"I'd say the possibility of autumn elections is over 50 percent, unless there's a very strong alignment of the M5S with the Salvini leadership, which would create enormous tensions within the Movement," Orsina said.

 

Italy's small far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI) party took home 6.4 percent of the vote, while billionaire Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia party, a historic ally of the League, pocketed 8.8 percent.

 

"Salvini may pull the plug if he feels confident enough in getting an outright majority by siding with Brothers of Italy and part of Forza Italia (without Berlusconi)," said Lorenzo Codogno, former chief economist at the Italian Treasury Department.

 

The centre-left Democratic Party (PD), which won just 18 percent at the general election, took 22.7 percent of the vote, clawing back some votes from M5S.

 

The Green party, which recorded significant gains in many other European countries, took just 2.29 percent.

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190527/far-right-league-victory-in-eu-vote-strains-italy-coalition

 

 

 

 

[umbertino]

Italy's new ruins: heritage sites being lost to neglect and looting

 

Overgrown and weathered, many historical monuments are disappearing as public funds for culture fail to match modern Italy’s inheritance

 

Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo

Tue 28 May 2019 12.56 BST

 

 

Pics

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/28/italys-new-ruins-heritage-sites-being-lost-to-neglect-and-looting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sicily’s ‘doctor of migrants’ bucks far-right trend to win seat in EU elections

 

Pietro Bartolo, from the island of Lampedusa, finished second behind the League candidate

 

Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo

Tue 28 May 2019 11.10 BST

 

 

Pietro Bartolo, who was born and raised on the Sicilian island of Lampedusa

Photograph: Pietro Bartolo

 

 

More pics

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/28/sicily-doctor-of-migrants-pietro-bartolo-bucks-far-right-trend-to-win-seat-in-eu-elections

 

A great human being

 

Edited May 28, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

Luigi Di Maio calls M5S confidence vote after EU elections flop

 

Italy’s deputy PM asks Five Star Movement members to back him after party falls to third

 

Angela Giuffrida in Rome

Wed 29 May 2019 10.38 BST

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/29/luigi-di-maio-calls-m5s-confidence-vote-eu-elections-flop-italy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘It wasn’t crying wolf’: sale of whole Italian village revealed as PR hoax

 

Tiny Esino Lario claimed all its assets were up for grabs – but it was actually working with a tech firm to raise awareness of issues facing villages

 

Alessio Perrone

Wed 29 May 2019 06.00 BST

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/may/29/it-wasnt-crying-wolf-sale-of-whole-italian-village-revealed-as-pr-hoax-esino-lario

 

This is NOT to be confused with the 1EUR  house sales  ( plus an average cost of UR 10,000 /20,000 for redecorating) in small Italian villages mainly in the South of the Country , aim being the re-population....That's true.

 

 

Edited May 29, 2019 by umbertino

[umbertino]

League close to striking EU alliance with Brexit Party

 

29 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8150

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former Magistrates President investigated for corruption

 

29 May 2019

 

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8144

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Italian PM Conte under pressure as Salvini's popularity soars

 

28 May 2019

 

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8139

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mattarella attends Piazza della Loggia bombing anniversary

 

28 May 2019

 

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8141

 

Fascist terrorist act which took place in 1974

 

 

[umbertino]

Not just Prosecco: here are the other Italian sparkling wines you need to try

 

If you're concerned about the environmental impact of heavy prosecco production, or just want to try something new, here's our guide to Italy's other sparkling wines

 

 

Clare Speak

clare.speak@thelocal.com
clarespeak

29 May 2019

15:54 CEST+02:00

 

 

We reported yesterday that new research shows booming Prosecco production is eroding soil in Veneto's Conegliano Valdobbiadene vineyards, threatening the future of the much-loved fizz.

 

Understandably, many readers were horrified by the news -  especially those of you in the UK and US, which are Italy's biggest Prosecco export markets.

 

There are natural solutions to the soil erosion problem, researchers say, but whether growers of the grape used for Prosecco will adopt them is not certain.

 

Until then, maybe it's time we looked beyond the world-famous Prosecco DOC and tried some of Italy's less famous sparkling wines.

 

Though they're not as well-known globally, many Italian wine lovers insist some of these varieties are even better. 

 

"When it comes to sparkling wines Prosecco is far from the only option in Italy," says wine expert Hande Leimer, a certified sommelier from the Vino Roma wine studio.

 

"Most wine drinkers assume “if it is Italian and bubbly, then it must be Prosecco”. I can't blame them, as Prosecco is the number one sparkling wine of Italy in production and export numbers - followed by Asti," she says

 

Hande shared a list of some of her favourite Itaiian appellations which she says "have consistently the best quality (theoretically and practically) and are easiest to find."

 

She points out: "Just as you shouldn’t call any sparkling wine Champagne, all these names mean a specific area and very often a specific method - and are protected by law."

 

Asti DOCG

 

A sparkling and sweet wine made from 100% Moscato Bianco grapes from the Piedmont region in the Northwest of Italy. It has a rather low alcohol content (7%-9,5%) and is sweet (at least 50g/l of sugar).

 

The bubbles come from the fermentation process in autoclaves (pressurized tanks), which is the first and only fermentation this wine goes through and the sugar is the left over (unfermented) sugar from the grapes.

 

Drink it at the end of a meal, especially with pastries or creamy and fruity desserts.

 

Lambrusco DOCs

 

There are five of these, from five different areas in the Emilia Romagna and Lombardy regions.

 

They are usually red, sparkling and dry (non-sweet).

 

You can find rosé or even white versions, still versions and sweet in varying degrees, too. But traditionally this is a red sparkling wine, aromatic (berries!) but not sweet, produced by using the Charmat method (after making a still wine, a second fermentation takes place in the autoclaves).

 

It has at least 10,5% alcohol content.

 

“If you are from the United States and have always avoided it because you don’t like sweet wine, do ask at your wine store for a dry version, which is a great aperitif wine, best paired with the fatty salumi and prosciutto of the region where it comes from,” Hande says.

 

Prosecco DOCGs

 

There are two, the wonderfully fruity Colli Asolani  or Asolo, that Hande says “undeservedly often get ignored next to the bigger Conegliano Valdobbiadene - also a less strictly ruled DOC.”

 

“These are the wines you think you know best - but you might be surprised;” she says.

 

Produced 100% from Glera grapes in the cool climate and sea-fossil soils of the Veneto area, they have at least 11% alc and varying degrees of sweetness. The most common sweetness level (always declared on the label) is extra dry, meaning there is about 15g of sugar per liter in it. Not a dessert wine, but definitely noticeably sweet.

 

Perfect for pairing with the strong, sweet-ish taste of shrimps, especially in a risotto. Note that there are also pas dosè (zero sugar) versions of Prosecco.

 

The bubbles are most often produced by the Charmat method (see Lambrusco above); but there are colfòndo/metodo rurale (ever heard of decanting a sparkling wine? This is the candidate for that!) and metodo classico (see below) versions, too, which affect not only the look but also the perlage of a Prosecco. Not to forget there's a completely still version, a Prosecco spento.

 

Franciacorta DOCG

 

“This could just about be my favourite sparkling wine of Italy,” Hande says.

 

It always uses the metodo classico, which is the same method that champagne uses - a second fermentation in the bottle.

 

Franciacorta by law has a longer minimum time for this than champagne; 24 months as opposed to 18, and comes from the shores of the Iseo Lake in the southern part of Lombardy. The grapes allowed are Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay.

 

Sweetness degrees vary, though the majority is brut (below 12 grams of sugar/liter). Perlage is very fine & persistent, usually not as explosive as a Champagne and not as yeasty tasting, either.

 

If you prefer an even softer style, look for the satén typology, which has less atmospheric pressure and is 100% Chardonnay.

 

Hint: Franciacorta is not only for a celebratory glass of bubbles - it will pair well with many foods (except maybe a grilled steak). We drink our “house” Franciacorta even with pizza!

 

 

Trento (umb's note: that's my hometown) DOC

 

Another appellation that always uses metodo classico. The grapes are similar to Franciacorta, with the addition of Pinot Meunier.

 

It is usually yeastier and fuller tasting than Franciacorta, which makes it a better pairing with the heavier mountain region dishes it shares its origins with. The minimum time for the second fermentation is a minimum of 15 months for the base version, though vintage and riserva versions go up to 24 and 36 respectively.

 

 

Metodo ancestrale

 

These sparkling wines come from almost all regions of Italy but especially from Emilia, and Hande says they're having a glorious renaissance lately.

 

“These tend to have slight fizziness, strong aromatics and yeastiness and are pleasant on the palate and I have converted many a beer-loving man to sparkling wines with them,” she says.

 

There are many other sparkling wines produced in Italy, in almost every region, using one or the other of the above mentioned methods. This is just an introduction. To find out more, ask your sommelier or salesperson about the wines you'd like to try.

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190529/not-just-prosecco-here-are-the-other-italian-sparkling-wines-you-need-to-try

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is Italy's flat tax and who would it benefit?

 

The Italian government is putting forward a flat tax proposal which will cost the state some 30 billion euros. So what is it and who's it for?

 

 

The Local

news@thelocal.it
@thelocalitaly

29 May 2019

13:04 CEST+02:00

 

 

The League party, which rules Italy in coalition with the Five Star movement, made the flat tax a flagship policy in its 2018 election campaign.

 

Almost a year after taking power, and emboldened by EU election results, the League is now pushing ahead with the proposal.

 

Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Tuesday that his League party is proposing a flat tax that would strain the Italian budget by another 30 billion euros.

 

"Thirty billion euros, this is the proposal studied by the League's economist, documented cent by cent, that we are ready to take to the cabinet and parliament," Salvini wrote as he announced his plan on Facebook.

 

 

At a time when Italy is already facing sanctions from Brussels over its budget and growing public debt - which is currently at 132.2 percent of GDP and set to reach a new record high in 2019  – it seems ike a big ask to find an extra 30 billion euros to fund the policy.

 

And that's just the League's own estimate. Other sources believe the real cost could be 60 billion or more.

 

Salvini said the proposal would bring down taxes for companies and families earning up to 50,000 euros a year. 

 

So who benefits?

 

After initally proposing a flat tax of 15 percent, the party now proposes a two-tier flat tax of 15 percent on annual earnings of up to 80,000 euros, and 20 percent for incomes above this threshold.

 

The 2019 budget law introduced a 15 percent rate for self-employed people on up to 65,000 euros a year.

 

Forza Italia politician Renato Brunetta said that the idea of the flat tax is to cause a "fiscal shock that will enable the country to escape the trap it's stuck in", and increase growth levels to "more than three percent".

 

Capital Economics analyst Jack Allen told AFP he doubts the proponents' growth claims and believes that the wealthiest will benefit the most from the reform.

 

"A 2015 study by the Bank of Italy estimated that households with low wealth would respond to a one euro increase in disposable income resulting from a tax cut by raising their spending by 60 cents," he says.

"High-wealth households ... would increase spending by just 40 cents,” he said.The Italian economy is forecast to grow by just 0.1 percent this year, while Italy's own finance minister said growth will be “zero”.

 

The government is also working on a seperate "growth decree" set to cut taxes for Italian companies, at a cost of 1.9 billion.

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190529/what-is-italys-flat-tax-proposal-and-who-would-it-benefit

[umbertino]

Reply to EC will avert infringement procedure says Salvini

Commission asked for clarification about lack of progress on debt

 

Redazione ANSA Rome

30 May 201916:30 News

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/politics/2019/05/30/well-avert-eu-sanctions-salvini_ef92ef10-ac54-43ce-91d9-b8bc5c0226a7.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orban's Fidesz unlikely to join League's group

Hungarian Prime Minister's party suspended from EPP

 

Redazione ANSA Brussels

30 May 201917:45 News

 

 

http://www.ansa.it/english/news/2019/05/30/orbans-fidesz-unlikely-to-join-leagues-group_39bb7cdd-1205-473d-8531-4d1a4f839532.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cannabis now a permissible Citizenship Income expenditure

 

30 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8156

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hundreds of missiles leave Italy for Saudi Arabia

 

30 May 2019

 

 

http://www.italianinsider.it/?q=node/8155

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deputy Minister resigns over Italy's 'crazy expenses' scandal

The Italian government avoided a crisis on Thursday after a junior League minister resigned following his conviction for fraud and embezzlement in what was known as the "crazy expenses" trial

 

AFP/The Local

news@thelocal.it
@thelocalitaly

30 May 2019

16:31 CEST+02:00

 

 

The case threatened to put the anti-migrant League and its leader Matteo Salvini on a collision course with coalition partner the Five Star Movement (M5S), which has taken a tough stance against corruption.

 

The court in Genoa on Thursday sentenced infrastructure and transport undersecretary Edoardo Rixi to three years and five months in prison, one month more than the prosecutor had demanded.

 

#oggivotolega pic.twitter.com/msvHcsBz15

— Edoardo Rixi (@edorixi) May 26, 2019

 

"I have already handed my resignation to Salvini," Italian media quoted Rixi as saying.

Deputy Prime Minister Salvini said that he had accepted the resignation "solely to protect him [Rixi] and the activity of the government from senseless attacks and scandals".

 

The court also ordered €50,000 to be seized from Rixi, who will appeal.

 

The court heard that Rixi and 19 others accused at the Liguria regional council had submitted private expenses including for amusement park visits, lottery scratch cards, oysters, chocolates, flowers and other items between 2010 and 2012.

 

 

The councillors, who came from several different political parties, were also found to have claimed multiple times for the same receipt. In one instance, League councillors submitted 15 receipts from the same cafe on the same day.

 

The case echoes that of fellow League infrastructure and transport undersecretary and Salvini confidante Armando Siri, who was sacked earlier this month amid graft allegations.

 

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte sacked Siri despite Salvini's protests that he had not accepted a €30,000 bribe -- or the promise of it -- from a businessman for promoting the interests of renewable energy companies. Prosecutors also suspected businessman Siri of being in league with a Sicilian who has links to a Mafia boss. 

 

 

https://www.thelocal.it/20190530/italy-minister-resigns-over-crazy-expenses-scandal