| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Europe | |
| Giuseppe Conte Resigns, Blames Salvini | |
| 2019-08-21 | |
| [TheGuardian] Italian PM resigns with attack on 'opportunist' Salvini Giuseppe Conte tells Italian Senate that far-right leader has triggered political crisis to serve his own interests. Giuseppe Conte has resigned as Italy's prime minister after blasting Matteo Salvini, the leader of the far-right League, as an "opportunist" for triggering a government crisis that could have "serious consequences" for Italy.
The outgoing prime minister said that Salvini, deputy prime minister and interior minister, had betrayed Italian citizens after pulling the plug on the party's tempestuous alliance with the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) earlier this month. Salvini is eager to exploit the League's growing popularity by bringing about snap elections. "He is only looking after his own interests and those of his party," said Conte. "Calling on voters every year is irresponsible," Conte said, adding that the prospect of Salvini as Italy's next prime minister was "worrying". By resigning, Conte has avoided a no-confidence vote sought by the League. The power to dissolve parliament and call new elections rests with Mattarella, who could also seek the formation of a new parliamentary majority or install a technical government. The timing of Salvini's maneuver is sensitive as Italy must present its draft budget for 2020 by the end of September. Conte said Salvini's choices in recent weeks revealed "poor institutional sensitivity" and "a serious lack of constitutional culture". He also criticised the minister's use of religious symbols in his constant campaigning across Italy, describing it is as "offensive to the faithful" especially to other faiths. Salvini kissed a rosary the use of the reprehensible religious symbols and retaliated in his response to Conte in the Senate, saying "I'll ask the Madonna for protection for as long as I live". "I'm the only humble witness," he added. "My country matters more to me than the comfy seats [of power]". He said that Italy's most pressing problem is its low birth rate, adding that his potential government would be one that supports a €50bn budget for 2020 that focused "on lowering taxes, the right to life...growth, investment." As prime minister, he would "focus on Italians, not on Merkel or Macron ... I am proud, free and nationalist. Italy will be about children, who have a mum and a dad." Italy looks to be in for a spin. Fingers crossed. | |
| Posted by:Dron66046 |
| #6 I certainly agree Lex. Important to recognize also (and I'm sure you do), it's a pharmacological based extinction which began back in the 1960's. One of our very own making. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2019-08-21 08:29 |
| #5 Besoeker, it's an issue in absolute terms for any culture that can't replace its population (i.e. fertility rate below 1.7) and that has a life expectancy beyond a normal retirement age (i.e. less than 70). Both apply to Italy and most nations of Europe (also Japan). |
| Posted by: Lex 2019-08-21 08:22 |
| #4 He's just bitter that he lost. It never dawns on these people that some time, they lose. |
| Posted by: Herb McCoy 2019-08-21 04:39 |
| #3 Low birth rates would not be such an issue if all cultures had low birth rates. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2019-08-21 02:02 |
| #2 He said that Italy's most pressing problem is its low birth rate Bingo. This guy has his head on straight. He and Orban and most of the localist/anti-globalist pols around the world recognize that the essence of civilization and of the strength and vitality of any nation-state is the family. When people are refusing to have children, your body politic is diseased. |
| Posted by: Lex 2019-08-21 01:58 |
| #1 The old joke: In Heaven, the Italians are the lovers. In Hell they are the mechanics. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2019-08-21 01:00 |