Election chaos leaves Italy in limbo

PARIS – Italy has shot itself in the foot by failing clearly to decide who should take the job of governing an ungovernable nation, underlining a feeling of a rudderless Europe, press analysts said yesterday.

With centre-left coalition chief Romano Prodi claiming a wafer-thin margin of victory over Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has refused to concede, Italy is effectively paralysed, they said – and with it, hope of reforms. Many observers lumped Italy’s post-election chaos with the climbdown by the French government over a youth jobs law and the inherently unstable nature of Germany’s grand left-right coalition following its inconclusive elections last year.”Italy, Germany, France.Three countries from old Europe, suffering from a gloomy economic outlook, low growth, high unemployment, their public finances in a bad state,” France’s conservative Le Figaro daily wrote.”Three countries living beyond their means” and “gripped by doubt.””Ciao Silvio! That’s the good news from Rome,” France’s leftist Liberation commented, but it, too, worried that he “will have trouble exercising power.”Britain’s conservative Daily Telegraph said Italy would now be saddled with a weak government and, “with so many problems demanding radical treatment, it seems set to remain the sick man of Europe.”The Independent in London said Prodi’s narrow victory highlighted problems common to major European countries of high unemployment and low growth.”And yet, the political systems of France, Germany – and now Italy – are failing to produce the necessary solutions,” it said.”Mr Berlusconi’s fall throws another aspect of Europe into relief, too.The position of leadership of the EU is glaringly vacant.”Germany’s centre-left Tagesspiegel said Italy, like France, was ruled by a “gerontocracy,” while the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper called Prodi a “captain without his own troops,” reliant on a coalition which ranges from communists to Christian democrats.Still, commented the Handelsblatt business daily, “anything is better than Berlusconi,” who with his tirades against the European Union and the euro “had practically become persona non grata” in Brussels.The Dutch business paper Het Financieele Dagblad said Italy made “the least worst choice” by electing Prodi and that with a fragile nine-party coalition, “a return to the old culture of government crisis looms.””It’s going to be difficult for Romano Prodi to bring Italy the harmony and unity he had promised,” agreed the populist Het Algemeen Dagblad.”Prodi’s problems are only just beginning.”It was the same mood at Austria’s Kurier, which wrote that the reforms Italy so badly needed, “from the economy to the social security network via tax and justice, are Herculean tasks nearly impossible to realise without a solid mandate.”Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter concurred.”Prodi stands victorious, but his minute majority and the fact many in his coalition simply backed the winning side …means that it will be very difficult for him to govern.”In Spain, El Pais said the narrow election result “reflects the division in the country” and predicted “difficult days ahead for the winner.”Roger Cohen, in a comment piece in the International Herald Tribune, which is published in France, said that despite Berlusconi’s political and economic failings, Prodi had proved unable to take advantage.”If he becomes prime minister, as is probable, his ability to govern seems likely to be limited,” he wrote under a headline, “Italy less governable than usual.”Cohen added: “That will leave Italy doing what it knows best, but can least afford: muddling through and punching below its weight.”- Nampa-AFPMany observers lumped Italy’s post-election chaos with the climbdown by the French government over a youth jobs law and the inherently unstable nature of Germany’s grand left-right coalition following its inconclusive elections last year.”Italy, Germany, France.Three countries from old Europe, suffering from a gloomy economic outlook, low growth, high unemployment, their public finances in a bad state,” France’s conservative Le Figaro daily wrote.”Three countries living beyond their means” and “gripped by doubt.””Ciao Silvio! That’s the good news from Rome,” France’s leftist Liberation commented, but it, too, worried that he “will have trouble exercising power.”Britain’s conservative Daily Telegraph said Italy would now be saddled with a weak government and, “with so many problems demanding radical treatment, it seems set to remain the sick man of Europe.”The Independent in London said Prodi’s narrow victory highlighted problems common to major European countries of high unemployment and low growth.”And yet, the political systems of France, Germany – and now Italy – are failing to produce the necessary solutions,” it said.”Mr Berlusconi’s fall throws another aspect of Europe into relief, too.The position of leadership of the EU is glaringly vacant.”Germany’s centre-left Tagesspiegel said Italy, like France, was ruled by a “gerontocracy,” while the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper called Prodi a “captain without his own troops,” reliant on a coalition which ranges from communists to Christian democrats.Still, commented the Handelsblatt business daily, “anything is better than Berlusconi,” who with his tirades against the European Union and the euro “had practically become persona non grata” in Brussels.The Dutch business paper Het Financieele Dagblad said Italy made “the least worst choice” by electing Prodi and that with a fragile nine-party coalition, “a return to the old culture of government crisis looms.””It’s going to be difficult for Romano Prodi to bring Italy the harmony and unity he had promised,” agreed the populist Het Algemeen Dagblad.”Prodi’s problems are only just beginning.”It was the same mood at Austria’s Kurier, which wrote that the reforms Italy so badly needed, “from the economy to the social security network via tax and justice, are Herculean tasks nearly impossible to realise without a solid mandate.”Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter concurred.”Prodi stands victorious, but his minute majority and the fact many in his coalition simply backed the winning side …means that it will be very difficult for him to govern.”In Spain, El Pais said the narrow election result “reflects the division in the country” and predicted “difficult days ahead for the winner.”Roger Cohen, in a comment piece in the International Herald Tribune, which is published in France, said that despite Berlusconi’s political and economic failings, Prodi had proved unable to take advantage.”If he becomes prime minister, as is probable, his ability to govern seems likely to be limited,” he wrote under a headline, “Italy less governable than usual.”Cohen added: “That will leave Italy doing what it knows best, but can least afford: muddling through and punching below its weight.”- Nampa-AFP