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In 2012, the spotlight was on Prime Minister Monti and his government of non-elected ministers. Early in the year, the new government's economic policy was effective in stopping the international downgrading of the country's credit rating. However, in terms of the entire year, the success of the Monti government appears less definitive. There were no clear achievements in terms of growth, and the structural features of the economy remained weak. Monti successfully initiated some reforms and policy changes, but there were failures as well. Furthermore, the "odd majority" (made up of the PdL, PD, and UdC) that supported Monti in Parliament performed more weakly than the government. The parties were to change the electoral law, reform the parliamentary institutions, cut costs, and reduce the privileges of the political class, but failed. Their inaction was accompanied by a series of scandals and crimes, all of which facilitated the emergence of new political forces, such as the Five Star Movement. When Monti eventually resigned in December 2012, President Napolitano called for new elections, and the parties redefined their proposals and lists. At the end of the year, the political and economic conditions of the country remained fragile.
List of contents
List of Abbreviations
Chronology of Italian Political Events, 2012
Edited by Rinaldo Vignati Introduction: The Year of the External Podestà
Aldo Di Virgilio and Claudio M. Radaelli chapter 1. The Costs of Politics and Reform: The Year of "Little Trims"
Sergio Rizzo and Gian Antonio Stella Chapter 2. The Challenge of the Five Star Movement
Rinaldo Vignati Chapter 3. When the Magic Wears Off: Bossi Loses His Grip and the League Its Appeal
Anna Cento Bull Chapter 4. Prime Minister Primaries: Candidate Selection between Innovation and Manipulation
Gianfranco Pasquino and Marco Valbruzzi Chapter 5. Mario Monti's Technocratic Government
Daniela Giannetti Chapter 6. The Work of Parliament in the Year of the Technocratic Government
Andrea Pedrazzani and Luca Pinto Chapter 7. Back in Europe? Italy, the Troika, and the Chancelleries
Francesco Stolfi Chapter 8. The Spending Review: Use and Abuse of a Term
Chiara Goretti and Luca Rizzuto Chapter 9. Social Policy Reform in the Italian Debt Crisis: Pensions, Labor, Unemployment Benefits
Stefano Sacchi Chapter 10. Interest Groups and the "Amended" Liberalizations of the Monti Government
Liborio Mattina Chapter 11. Between Retaliatory Punishment and Reform: Some Thoughts on Vatileaks and Italian Politics
Alberto Melloni Chapter 12. A Year of Social Movements in Italy: From the "No TAVs" to the Five Star Movement
Lorenzo Mosc Documentary Appendix Compiled by Valentina Sartori Abstracts
About the author
Aldo di Virgilio is at the Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna
Claudio M. Radaelli is at the Department of Political Science and Director of the Centre for European Governance, University of Exeter
Summary
In 2012, the spotlight was on Prime Minister Monti and his government of non-elected ministers. Early in the year, the new government’s economic policy was effective in stopping the international downgrading of the country’s credit rating. However, in terms of the entire year, the success of the Monti government appears less definitive. There were no clear achievements in terms of growth, and the structural features of the economy remained weak. Monti successfully initiated some reforms and policy changes, but there were failures as well. Furthermore, the “odd majority” (made up of the PdL, PD, and UdC) that supported Monti in Parliament performed more weakly than the government. The parties were to change the electoral law, reform the parliamentary institutions, cut costs, and reduce the privileges of the political class, but failed. Their inaction was accompanied by a series of scandals and crimes, all of which facilitated the emergence of new political forces, such as the Five Star Movement. When Monti eventually resigned in December 2012, President Napolitano called for new elections, and the parties redefined their proposals and lists. At the end of the year, the political and economic conditions of the country remained fragile.
