Draghi appeals, Monti reassures – While the tension in financial markets resurfaced, the world’s major newspapers scrutinized the European Central Bank and its President, Mario Draghi. On April 4 and 5, the major financial newspapers examined the appeal made by the former Governor of the Bank of Italy for Europe’s governments to continue along the road to reform (Financial Times – ECB exit talk premature, says Draghi* ABC – Draghi insiste en acelerar las reformas; Publico – Mario Draghi diz que é prematuro abandonar medidas anticrise). While a few broadsheets expressed doubts over Italy’s ability to enact further restrictive measures (such as the Financial Times, April 2 – Recession stirs doubts over Italy’s targets*),, the foreign press also acted as a sounding board for the reassurances voiced by Prime Minister Mario Monti (April 4, Expansion – Monti descarta nuevas medidas de austeridad porque aún tiene ‘margen’ and El Economista – Monti descarta nuevas medidas de austeridad porque Italia aún tiene “márgen” para equilibrar las cuenta). They also emphasized the signs of improvement in Italy’s deficit (Wall Street Journal, April 4 – Italy Narrows Budget Deficit). The country’s job market reform also received renewed attention with the presentation of the final text of the reform bill (April 5 Washington Post – Italy labor market reform: more costs for companies, but opportunity for the young; La Nacion – Lanza Monti una amplia reforma laboral; Financial Times – Monti makes concessions to win allies*). In short, Monti and Draghi again shared center stage, several papers pointing out the contribution that the “two Marios” made to changing Italy’s (April 1 La Nacion – Dos Marios reconstruyen la imagen de Italia; El Pais – Europa y los dos Marios).
Italian business and international markets – There was also mention this week of the international position of Italian businesses, large and small. While the Washington Post and Les Echos were interested in the increasing influence in the U.S. of Fiat, which has – with Chrysler – compensated for the drop in the European car market (April 4, Fiat and Chrysler aim to increase global sales to as many as 4.4 million in 2012; Chrysler devient la machine à profits de Fiat*), Gulf News, published in the United Arab Emirates, discussed the debut in Dubai of luxury pen manufacturer Montegrappa (Gulf News, April 5 – Luxury pen maker plans to cover new markets). Finally, Le Fiagro ran a piece on the Italian artisan ice cream chain, Amorino, founded by Cristiano Sereni and Paolo Benassi (March 31 – Cristiano Sereni à la conquête des Français avec le glacier Amorino)
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