Italy chose the opposite of Greece. But it will turn out similarly
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Luboš Palace
| Photo: Diary
When Greece was at its worst in 2015, it elected the first Eurocommunist in the history of Western Europe to head its government. Alexis Tsipras made a big deal in his election campaign, promising that he would lead the Greeks through the valley of tears of the debt crisis without losing the standard of living and the amount of pensions. That he will negotiate better with the European Union, led by Germany, than “normal” governments of social democrats or the right could manage. He tried everything possible, including referendums, but in the end he still did what had to be done. He cut the pensions and salaries of the Greeks, sold what could be sold from the Greek state property, and Greece, for which he was responsible, saved itself despite the denial.
From a rioter, a populist and a communist, he became such a “normal” Western politician. And he was rewarded for it, as it happens to responsible politicians in such crisis situations – defeat in the elections.
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Italy, where until now the relatively responsible center-left government of Prime Minister Mario Draghi ruled, unlike Greece, chose the right-wing version of Tsipras.
But the new Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, may turn out to be as little a neo-fascist as Tsipras turned out to be a neo-communist. Italy is not in such a deadly financial convulsion as Greece was, but the Roman restraints are still as tight as the Athenian ones. Simply, the economic and political reality will not allow Meloni to do anything other than responsible politics. Otherwise, Italy, left in isolation, will sink. Meloni doesn’t look like she wants to do something like that. Which gives hope both to Italy and to us, fellow residents of our common Union.