The Italian Political Deadlock: A Complicated Maze, With No Easy Exit
This week, politics is not the only protagonist in Italy. Some national headlines focused on the increase in acts of racial hatred in Italy. On March 5, in Florence, a resident of the city of Senegalese origin, Idy Diene, was shot and killed on the street by a 65 year old Italian man, Roberto Pirrone. There is some debate as to whether or not the act was racially motivated. Pirrone claims that he intended to commit suicide but decided, instead, to kill a random person on the street, and Mr. Diene happened to be passing by at that moment. However, many in the city doubt this explanation and, in particular, the Senegalese community, for whom the murder of a Senegalese citizen by a right wing extremist and racist in 2011 is still fresh in the minds of many. There were some acts of vandalism and skirmishes with police the evening of the murder, and many community leaders spoke out against racism and violence.
On March 10 over 10,000 people joined a peaceful demonstration to reject hatred and to advocate for the importance of social cohesion in Italian cities.
“Florence wants to be an open city and respectful of human life”, said Dario Nardella, the current mayor who joined the demonstration. Other leading figures took part in the demonstration: representatives of Senegalese community of Tuscany, the Senegalese Consul, and the governor of Tuscany Enrico Rossi with other city officials. In addition to this outpouring of political support, religious leaders also demonstrated their solidarity: the Catholic Cardinal Giuseppe Betori, a high ecclesiastical official, the Imam Izzedin Elzir, the prayer leader of the local Muslim community, and the Rabbi Amedeo Spagnoletto, the official leader of the Jewish local congregation, attended the funeral ceremony.
A banner during the anti-racism demonstration in Florence on March, 10, La Repubblica
In Italian politics news: in order to try to break the current political stalemate, the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, released powerful statements during the “Alfiere della Repubblica” awards ceremony for 29 young Italians who distinguished themselves for "solidarity" and “bravery” in different fields like culture, arts, science, sports or volunteer work.
President Mattarella said: “We are responsible for our future, without selfishness. I have faith in Italy’s future, we must demonstrate joint responsibility for the common fate of our country”. These words were interpreted to have been directed at the leaders of Italian political parties, who have had difficulty finding a compromise to create a governing coalition. Mattarella is trying to push them to break their deadlock.
The election outcome, the absence of a real majority, and a cleavage in the political leanings of the North and South of Italy (the M5S won a majority in the South and the League won a majority in the North), are factors that have contributed to this political impasse. The parties who are involved in negotiations on the formation of the new government are the Democratic Party, the Five-Star Movement and the League. The Democratic Party, the big loser of the election, is currently undergoing changes in leadership. Matteo Renzi, the ex-leader, resigned after the March 4th defeat and the party is temporarily being led by Maurizio Martina. Martina would like to see the PD in the opposition, and leave the duty of governing to the winners. Other currents of the PD support the appointing of a caretaker government that would include everyone. There is no shortage of disagreement for the center right either. Matteo Salvini, who was chosen by the right coalition to represent it during the negotiations, doesn’t want to include the Democratic Party in a possible coalition even if Silvio Berlusconi, leader of Forza Italia, is not opposed to that option. On the other hand, Berlusconi is against an agreement with the Five Star Movement, the option that seems to be supported by Salvini. Luigi Di Maio, the Five Star movement leader, is opposed to a large all-embracing coalition, proclaiming his party's right to govern following their strong showing in the election, but he has stated that he is ready to put aside partisanship in order to discuss important issues.
The current Italian political situation has become a complicated maze with no easy exit.
