Highlights
– Highest turnout for anti-Berlusconi rally in Rome since April 2008
– Pending reforms on education and immigration meet harsh criticism
– Stagnant economy, rising unemployment will test Berlusconi’s long-term resolve
Under the banner of “Save Italy,” Italy’s main opposition party Partito Democratico (Democratic Party PD) organized a rally in Rome on October 25, 2008 in protest of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Opposition leader and former Rome mayor, Walter Veltroni, addressed a large crowd at Rome’s ancient chariot track Circus Maximus, stating “Another Italy is possible, we will do it together.” PD organizers claim that roughly 2.5 million people joined in the rally, but police estimates placed the figure closer to two hundred thousand people.
The rally was the largest anti-government demonstration since Berlusconi regained power in April 2008. Just two weeks prior to the rally, another 100,000 people flooded the streets of Rome to protest against Berlusconi’s conservative policies and his avoiding prosecution for alleged corruption. In March 2007, Berlusconi was accused of allegedly giving €380,000 in bribes to a British lawyer to withhold allegedly incriminating data from a tax fraud case.
Although Berlusconi’s policies against crime and illegal immigration have earned him a higher than 60 percent approval rating in polls, the recent rallies in Rome indicate that other more controversial proposals such as cutting funding for universities will be met by a growing anti-Berlusconi legion from the left.
Mixed Approval on Reforms
In the five months since Berlusconi’s reelection in April 2008, the coalition between Berlusconi’s center-right party, People of Freedom, and the separatist Northern League party has pushed through several popular reforms.
• Berlusconi enacted the three-year “Robin Hood” tax on profits of banks, insurers and energy companies to fund aid for low-income households who have endured increased food and energy prices. According to the Treasury’s budget, the tax should generate €437 million in 2008 and 2.28 billion in 2009.
• Berlusconi introduced a national housing plan that would build 20,000 new homes for families on the brink of poverty.
• During the rubbish crisis in Naples, Berlusconi negotiated with communities to gain approval for new garbage dump sites, as well as negotiating a deal to send thousands of tons of waste to Germany and securing the necessary new garbage incinerators and recycling programs.
• Berlusconi has also stepped up the fight against the Camorra with troop deployments across the country, as well as cracking down on homeless drug addicts and undocumented slum dwellers.
While these policies have helped boost Berlusconi’s overall approval rating, other policies have begun to galvanize the opposition.
• A Berlusconi backed parliament passed a law guaranteeing immunity for the four highest-ranking politicians in the state while they are in office. Reportedly leftists across the country have set up 3,500 makeshift stands to get the required 500,000 signatures to enable a referendum for January 8, 2009 on the controversial law.
• In an effort to save eight billion euros, the Berlusconi administration has proposed sweeping education reforms that include plans to axe 87,000 teachers’ jobs over the next three years.
• Under a scheme launched by right-wing coalition partner party, the Northern League, the lower house of parliament approved a plan to create separate school classes for immigrant children. Under the plan, foreign students will have to pass an exam on language and culture to gain admission into schools. If they fail the test, they will have to take a class to study the Italian language and culture until they can pass the exam. The measure will come into full effect if passed by the Senate.
Berlusconi has denied accusations that the separate classes for foreign students are a product of an anti-immigrant and racist agenda. However, recent spikes in racially motivated attacks and civil unrest in Naples underscore an increasing element of xenophobia in Italy. Should the government continue to impose similar anti-immigrant policies in the near-term, we expect more violent backlashes from minorities who feel they have been branded second-class citizens in the country.
Stagnant Economy, Rising Unemployment Will Test Berlusconi’s Popularity in 2009
Despite the rising turnouts for anti-government rallies, Berlusconi’s political influence is higher than ever – holding a strong majority in parliament along with maintaining high approval ratings. A possible factor contributing to Berlusconi’s success, even as the Milan stock market has dropped 22 percent since September 1st, comes in the form of public image. Berlusconi owns Mediaset, Italy’s largest private broadcaster. A recent report by a government media watchdog found an imbalance on television public affairs programming with much more time devoted to the current administration in comparison to the opposition.
Nevertheless, minimal growth is projected for Italy’s economy in 2009 and an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report says Italy is in its fourth recession in a decade. Berlusconi’s biggest challenge will be maintaining the public’s high approval ratings even with economic hardships such as rising unemployment on the horizon for 2009.
