Italiafile – for italophiles.
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Scianels No. 5
Having failed with all her other manifesto promises, Scianel is now going for the big one – a directly elected Prime Minister. Of course, her problem is that means a change to the Constitution – something that the Italians are notoriously resistant to. The Big Idea is that to make voting even more complicated than…
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1 year in
It’s a year since Giorgia Meloni became PM. In that year she has done very little, but rather a lot. She has filled TV and the press with her people, meaning that virtually every news article is supporting the government line. She has succeeded in making immigration the only topic to be consistently on the…
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Caring colonialism
The Vice Minister at the foreign office is one Sig Cirielli, ex carabiniere faithful ultra right winger. He gave a talk the other day, which managed to show his total unsuitability for his office. It shows how Meloni and her cabal manage to rewrite history to suit their aims. “The Italians, both in the pre…
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Maleficent
Last week La Santanche went to parliament to talk about her business as an entrepreneur and give her side of the story. Decrying the campaign of hate against her, she winsomely announced that is is happy, because when she gets up in the morning and looks in the mirror, she likes what she sees. So…
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Ministry of Culture Wars
The repellent Daniela Santanche (minister of Tourism) has to answer to the House this week because of her diabolical business practices. It seems she been buying up and asset stripping companies, as well as not paying her staff. A damning exposé by Report has shown up her (and her various partners) practices of investments and…
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The void
This is Elly Schlein, the new leader of the PD (Labour) party in Italy. She is bringing a Corbyn moment to Italian politics, which you may like or not. You wont have heard of her because she is only in the press when they want to rip her apart and make sly digs. What they…
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Giorgia on my mind
Giorgia Meloni has , in six long months since her election, started the process of normalization of her extremist outlook. She has announced laws which quash dissent, peopled the newspapers and TV with her acolytes, and emphasizes freedom of the individual while introducing legislation which curtails,if not bans, citizens rights. In her latest move she…
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Be careful what you wish for
The shock resignation of the the head of RAI has led to the overt politicisation of the public broadcaster. Meloni is apportioning directors to her friends and allies – it’s always been pretty political – everyone knows that RAI 1 has been centrist, RAI 2 on the right and RAI 3 on the left, but…
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Smug shots
Two exprisoners, both ‘politicians’ and both detained for crimed that should bar them from public office in pertpetuity. But we are in Italy, where memories are short. First up Roberto Formigoni, see posts passim – who is still serving his sentence for corruption. He is currently out of prison and doing social service, the sentence…
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Arian Grande
This is the blue eyed and blond haired Francesco Lollobrigida (yes, they are related) who is minister for Agriculture – and sovranity of food (and forests). He lives in Rome with his blue eyed and blond haired daughters and his wife, who just happens to be the sister of Giorgia Meloni. Long time member of…