Andrea Capati
The Italian Five Star Movement is considering joining the ‘Socialists and Democrats’ grouping in the European Parliament. Andrea Capati and Marco Improta argue that this pro-Europeanist turn owes much to the party’s recent experience in government. It also marks a further stage in the ‘normalisation’ of the Five Star Movement Read more
Damian Raess
Surprisingly, left governments adopted more conservative fiscal policies than right governments in recent economic crises. Governments did not choose these policies freely; rather, the financial markets imposed them. Nonetheless, argues Damian Raess, they appear to have dire electoral consequences: left-leaning voters are increasingly voting with their feet 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
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
Luciano Bardi
Italians have voted in favour of a populist proposal to reduce, quite drastically, the number of parliamentarians. The result of this referendum was never seriously in doubt, writes Luciano Bardi, yet its ramifications raise fundamental questions about the democratic health of Italy’s political system – and whether it can ever be reformed Read more
The Loop
Cutting-edge analysis showcasing the work of the political science discipline at its best.
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