In kick-starting this Meeting of the Aspen Junior Fellows group, the question was posed as to whether a relationship exists between the impetus for reform and the advent of new generations. Reference was made, in this regard, to an observation made by Thomas Jefferson, who wrote that every generation has the right to write its own constitution[1] and to adopt its own institutions. Tying these considerations to the discussion topic for the Meeting, it was noted that many young Italians today do not have the opportunities they deserve, and that this situation makes the need for structural reforms announced years ago even more pressing. While it was considered only right to innovate, it was suggested that this is on the proviso that goals are set and the manner in which to achieve them is delineated. The participants suggested that a first step in this direction would be the amendment of electoral laws to reduce the instability of government that has consistently undermined many reform proposals. Another aspect deemed important was the simplification of institutional structures and operational procedures. The government decision-making process was seen as hampered by the excessive lead times stemming from Italy’s co-equal bicameral system, with the resulting proliferation of emergency decrees and the erosion of Parliament’s legislative function. The amendments made to Title V of the Italian Constitution were considered to have produced an as-yet incomplete system, with an anarchic polycentrism fueled by conflicting local interests in which the exercise of the competing legislative powers of the Regions has led to costly constitutional litigation in various strategic areas (ranging from large transport networks to energy production and distribution).
The participants felt that it was incumbent on what is, age-wise, a young government to manifest a more modern and simpler model of state, in step both with other countries and with the times. To that end, it was stressed that communication will serve as a key resource in rallying the consensus necessary for a package of reforms that is widely endorsed. It was conceded, however, that the ability to follow through on this is constrained by the need for conciseness and clarity on the one hand, and the risk of oversimplification on the other. Compounding the situation is also a widespread sense of there being an overwhelming number of priorities – inescapable problems that have all come to a head together, including the labor market, the justice system, education, regulatory simplification, and the public-sector reform geared to improving efficiency (reducing costs) and effectiveness (simplifying and turning the public administration into a resource for households and businesses). By way of conclusion, it was remarked that a common thread – namely, the country’s future – binds these important chapters together into a book that Italy is necessarily called upon to write, signaling a time for Italians to unite with a shared purpose, driven forward by the ideas and commitment of the country’s younger generations.