Political issues

The end of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first century will have been marked by the figure of the illustrious and controversial Silvio Berlusconi, president of the Council of Ministers from 1994 to 1995, from 2001 to 2006 and from 2008 to 2011. Political instability seems in any case to have always been a prerogative of Italy, and between 2011 and 2014 there were four successive governments at the head of the country, with those of Silvio Berlusconi (Forza Italia), Mario Monti (Scelta Civica), Enrico Letta (Partito Democratico) and Matteo Renzi (Partito Democratico). In December 2016, Italians rejected in a referendum the constitutional reform carried by Matteo Renzi, who announced his resignation in the process. Two forces subsequently formed the ruling coalition in 2018, the League (sovereignist right) and the Five Star Movement (populist). After 80 days of negotiations, the president of the Italian Republic appointed Giuseppe Conte as president of the Council on May 23, 2018, to lead the populist coalition between the Five Star Movement and the League. But in August 2019, after disagreements with his government partners of the 5-Star Movement, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini (League party) causes the end of the coalition, hoping for early parliamentary elections. But the 5-Star Movement allies with the Democratic Party... After a month of a summer political crisis, the new Italian government of Giuseppe Conte is sworn in on September 5, 2019 before President Sergio Mattarella. Last December, dozens of rallies are held throughout the country with one banner: the sardine. This "Sardines" movement was born after the call to demonstrate against the League, the far-right party of Matteo Salvini, and with the aim of denouncing the sovereignist, populist and racist drift of the League party. In March 2020, the government Giuseppe Conte is facing a serious health crisis, the pandemic of the coronavirus ... The country is then confined for weeks and this paralyzes its economy: only necessary travel on justification (work, health care or food purchase) are allowed. All public and private gatherings were prohibited and schools were closed. It was not until May 2020 that the country began to deconflict. Eight months later, in January 2021, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte was forced to resign as a result of the breakdown of his coalition and his inability to replace three members of Italia Viva (a small party led by Matteo Renzi) in Parliament. It was Matteo Renzi who announced the immediate resignation of three of his members at a press conference on January 13. Faced with this new crisis, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, asked former ECB President Mario Draghi, nicknamed "Super Mario," to form a new executive. After weeks of political instability, Mario Draghi was officially sworn in as the new head of government on Saturday, February 13, 2021. He then took over the reins of a country that in 2020 recorded an 8.9 per cent drop in GDP, one of the worst in the eurozone. At the end of January 2022, Italy chose to ensure stability by re-electing the outgoing president, 80-year-old Sergio Mattarella, and Mario Draghi remained at the head of the government.

Economy

Tourism in Italy represents 13% of GDP (232.2 billion euros in 2019), a considerable part of the Italian economy (by comparison, tourism represents 7% in France). Italy is also the second foreign destination for the French. Short stays (weekends) provide the country with a constant activity. On the other hand, seaside stays are longer (about 10 to 12 days). Spa resorts also attract a good number of visitors. In Italy, as in France, the month of August is very popular with vacationers. After France and Spain, Italy is the third most popular tourist destination in Europe with 94 million visitors, according to ENIT, and on a global scale, the country, famous for its priceless historical and artistic heritage, is the fifth most popular tourist destination in the world. But during the year 2020, the absence of foreign tourists due to the pandemic has caused considerable losses (a drop in sales of 3.2 billion euros in the summer period alone). In 2021, signs of recovery have been noted thanks to the improved health situation, with 20% more tourists than in the summer of 2020. Italy is counting on the 2022 season for a return to normality in terms of the health situation. Since May 2022, it is no longer necessary to show a health pass to sit in a restaurant

Facing the future

Italy was the first country in Europe to suffer the full force of the pandemic, imposing a radical confinement ("Tutti a casa") on Italians for several weeks from March 2020. The tourist industry has closed its doors, as has the whole of Italy. It will take time for the country to recover from this chaotic situation, which has affected the entire planet. Already, the Italian economy was heavily affected by the global financial crisis and only emerged from recession in 2015, but in 2018, the country's GDP was still 4% lower than in 2007. Italy's debt is one of the highest in Europe, and in 2019 the economy has stagnated due in part to the uncertain political situation. Unemployment stands at 10%, but it is young people who suffer from non-employment with a rate of more than 30% in this country, which is the third largest in the euro zone. However, Italy sees new prospects thanks to the European recovery plan. As the main beneficiary of the Next Generation EU, Italy received a first installment of 25 billion euros in August 2021. This money will be used to implement more than a hundred projects promoting the digital transition of companies and their internationalization, but also infrastructure projects related to the TGV. Investments are planned in renewable energy and the green revolution. In total, Italy will receive 191.5 billion euros (including 68.9 billion in grants and 122.6 billion in loans). The impact of the epidemic on the Italian economy, the third largest in the eurozone, has led to a drop in GDP of 8.9% in 2020, its worst recession since the Second World War. Since the war in Ukraine in February 2022, Italy's challenge is to reduce its dependence on Russian gas. "It is not an obvious task, but it must be done," Mr. Draghi said in March 2022, and added, "Our security and freedom are at stake." Consumer prices, both energy and food, have soared to the point that Italy is experiencing the highest inflation in thirty years in March 2022...