Kicking off discussions at this National Interest event was the observation that the opening of Italy’s 18th legislature would seem to portend a new order within Italian society, among the various political parties, and within the country’s institutions. Power relations between the parties, as well as the interplay between them and the key priorities for debate, have changed. Yet the participants felt that although the latest parliament may have become the new focus of attention, it is the Five Star/Northern League coalition government – now taking shape between the winning parties at the recent polls – that is currently the biggest novelty of an election outcome which has exposed a divided Italy, split between North and South not just economically but also politically.
It was noted that the parliament and the future government will undoubtedly find themselves operating in a challenging environment, marked by Brexit, changes in relations with the US, and an EU that is divided on how to formulate and implement the policies necessary to overcome economic crisis and combat the forces that threaten to tear it apart. This is compounded by the effects of globalization and changes in the economy and society brought about by technological advances.
Against this backdrop, Italy’s socio-economic situation, though gradually improving, was characterized as the worst among the EU’s major nations. Public maladministration, which is manifesting itself in increased public debt and illegality, has led to a growing mistrust of institutions among the populace. The inefficient workings of bureaucracy and the uncertainty of the judicial system are costs that Italian firms are struggling to bear in their efforts to remain competitive, as well as representing the greatest obstacles to attracting foreign investment.
Added to this is a sharply declining birth rate, a migratory influx that has transformed the make-up of the Italian population, a fading middle class, the re-emergence of a very marked social and economic imbalance between various areas of the country, and, lastly, a productivity growth rate that is consistently lower than that of the other major European countries.
The participants thus pointed to a great expectation (hope) that it will not only be possible to usher in a season of beneficial change for the country, but also to overcome the growing disconnect between politics and society, thereby re-engaging large sections of the population that have grown critical and mistrusting.
From the point of view of institutional reforms, it was suggested that the experiences of recent years have taught the following lessons:
- Institutional reforms should not merely be an embodiment of the governing majority’s voice, nor should they form part of the government’s agenda. The aim should instead be to garner the widest possible parliamentary consensus for reform;
- When faced with a political framework based on a proportional system, it is better to focus on discrete constitutional reforms.
- Good sub-constitutional reforms have the potential of impacting on the functioning of the State in a structural way, thereby enabling the achievement of broad consensus.
It was suggested that these considerations also seem in line with the current situation, in which certain measures anticipated in the “government contract” are bound to give rise to vigorous debate in parliament between the new majority and the various opposition groups, while others seem apt to engender broad consensus.
In conclusion, the prospect envisaged was that of opening up in parliament, alongside robust debate on government policies, a forum for discussion on processes of change involving a rethink of the institutional architecture and associated reforms of an institutional ilk or of great civil and social merit that might be capable of engendering consensus. The scope of this discussion would primarily encompass institutions and related reforms, but could also extend to certain key issues corresponding to the country’s long-term general interests, such as welfare, education, and debt reduction.