Fred Paxton
Italian populists’ focus on ‘the will of the people’ has frequently contradicted their ideological priorities towards migration, Fred Paxton and Andrea Pettrachin find. The perception of local attitudes to immigration and issue salience are the determining factors in how populists in local government make their decisions Read more
Nicholas Whithorn
In January, Italy must elect a new President in a ritual equivalent to a Papal conclave. The likely contenders are already emerging, but, argues Nicholas Whithorn, there are no certainties in this election – especially when there are complications concerning the favourite, Mario Draghi Read more
Martin Bull
Protests have broken out in Rome against the extension of Italy’s Covid Green Pass to the workplace. They quickly deteriorated into violence and assault, exploited by the fascist group Forza Nuova. This, argues Martin Bull, has reignited the debate about Italy’s fascist heritage, and led to calls on Prime Minister Draghi to dissolve the group Read more
Andrea Pritoni
Political scientists are typically accused of remaining in their ivory towers. YePolitical scientists are often accused of hiding away in ivory towers, yet their participation could significantly enhance public debate. Andrea Pritoni and Giulia Vicentini analyse one such case, in Italy. In so doing, they discover a missed opportunity to increase the social relevance of the disciplinet their participation could enhance public debate and increase the social relevance of the discipline. Andrea Pritoni and Giulia Vicentini analyse one such case, in Italian public debate, and discover a missed opportunity Read more
Michelangelo Vercesi
Italy is unmatched in Western Europe in the scale of its electoral support for populists. Michelangelo Vercesi argues that this exceptionality, combined with the strategic adaptation of political entrepreneurs to different territorial political traditions, is a legacy of how the unitary state formed Read more
Sergio Fabbrini
Although appointed unexpectedly, Mario Draghi is much more than just a stop-gap, technocratic Prime Minister. Sergio Fabbrini argues that Draghi's vision for Europe could make Italy one of the key voices in the European debate Read more
Daniele Albertazzi
Mario Draghi’s new government enjoys broad support in both Italian parliamentary chambers. But Matteo Salvini's League is likely to make its life difficult. Daniele Albertazzi and Davide Pellegrino speculate that Salvini’s party will likely keep one foot in and one foot out of government Read more
Martin Bull
The Italian President’s invitation to Mario Draghi to form the next government is the fourth time since 1994 that the country has resorted to a technician to get itself out of a hole dug by the parties’ failure to agree on a political government, writes Martin Bull. This has connotations that go beyond the current crisis, representing a damning indictment of Italy’s model of party government Read more
