Elections – Taxes, the Monte dei Paschi scandal and social media: according to the foreign press, these will be the decisive factors in Italy’s elections. The major international papers did not restrict themselves to explanations of the candidates’ platforms candidati (Wall Street Journal, Feb. 5 – Italy’s Bersani Urges Pragmatic Push to Closer EU Union; Die Welt, Feb. 5 – Italien-Wahl: Berlusconi holt auf; Financial Times, 3 febbraio – Berlusconi pledges €4bn tax refund; El Pais, Feb. 2 – Mario Monti apuesta por aumentar la edad de jubilación “efectiva” en Italia; Les Echos, Feb. 2 – Front commun Bersani-monti face au populisme anti-euro de Berlusconi). They also analyzed the situation in Italy. According to Le Monde, the country’s fate is in the hands of Siena (Feb. 5 – Le sort de l’italie se joue à Sienne), the Financial Times wondered about the relationship between euro-skeptic politics and the economic crisis (Feb. 7 – Is Italy’s economic crisis fuelling euroscepticism? ). Finally, the Arab Emirates Gulf News explained the ways that social media have come to play a major role in the elections (Feb. 7 – Social media dominate Italy’s poll campaign).
Enel’s annual report and the Fiat-Chrylser merger – “Goals reached despite a difficult year”. The was the comment of the Financial Times on Enel’s annual report (Feb. 5 – Enel meets targets despite tough year ), which, the Spanish daily Expansion expansion explained, revenues grew by almost 7%, close to 85 billion euro (Feb. 5 –Los ingresos de Enel crecieron un 6,8% en 2012, hasta los 84.900 millones de euros).
The spotlight also shone on another Italian group, Fiat, and the words of its CEO. Sergio Marchionne announced that the merger between the Turin-based carmaker and Chrysler to 2014. The Wall Street Journal reported that the operation will raise the group’s scale economy and help it compete better worldwide (Feb. 5 – Fiat Aims to Close Chrysler Deal Next Year *). The news was taken up by the Taiwan daily China Post (Fiat boss sets sights on Chrysler merger in 2014).
Italy’s rugby win – Italy has become accustomed to rugby and is no longer the wooden spooner, the last in the Six Nations Cup. The victory of the Italian team over France surprised everyone and the outcome was reported by the New York Times (Feb. 4 – Italy Defeats France, Capping Opening Weekend of Surprises in Six Nations); the Wall Street Journal (Feb. 7 – Italy Adapts to Rugby’s); and El Mundo (Feb 3 – Italia ya no es ‘la cuchara de madera’).
New splendor for Pompei – Pompei is about to restore its splendor thanks to Italian and European funds, and the news of that ambitious 105 million euro plan for the ruins in Camp;agna were reported between February 4 and 6 by the Swiss daily Le Matin (Pompéi va retrouver son lustre), the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ( Noch einmal Pompeji retten) and Huffington Post (E.U. Steps In To Save Pompeii, Pledges Millions Toward Restoration Of Ancient Italian City ). The Spanish paper El Pais turned its attention to Italian design which – thanks to the Milan Triennial – is opening an exhibition in Bilbao (Feb 7 – El diseño italiano toma la Alhóndiga).
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