Italy’s Love Affair with Populism: From Berlusconi to Salvini
Updated 24 February 2019 with the news that Salvini is taking funds from Russia. Italy has a surprising weakness for populism à la Trump. It began over twenty-five years ago with Silvio Berlusconi and his Forza Italia party and is
The Logical Way to Reform Europe – Why it Could Fail
Everyone agrees that to reform Europe is a priority. And there’s only one logical way to do it, as proposed by French President Macron. His plan is simply brilliant. Exactly what Europe needs now. But there are many reasons why
Murderers in the Mediterranean: How to Stop Them
Update 3 March 2019: It would seem that murderers in the Mediterranean cannot be stopped. Largely because of the decisions taken by Italy's Interior Minister and extreme right leader Matteo Salvini. Operation Sophia, under the command of Italy, is the
Populism’s Promises: Are Populist Leaders Delivering on Them?
Populists make empty promises. They exploit people’s discontent, raise expectations but cannot deliver solutions. They claim to represent the “will of the people”. Yet they spread lies and accuse leaders of other parties, particularly progressive ones, to be the root
2018: A Watershed Year: Will 2019 Finish the Job?
2018 was a watershed year. The geopolitical table turned: The world changed from order to disorder. True, the ordered world we had known since the end of World War II till 2016 was far from perfect. It had many problems
Populism in Europe: Can the New Left Defeat it?
Trump is the face of populism in America and the midterms have shown that a Democratic “blue wave” could stop and even defeat it. How about populism in Europe? After the traditional parties on the left collapsed and the center
Trump’s Midterms Strategy: Fear and Anger
Previous articles about why populism is dangerous have addressed the issue of austerity (here), the public health crisis (here), the false “migrant crisis” (here), and the propensity for war (here). This article explores Trump’s midterms strategy to drive voters to
Why Populism is Dangerous: The False Migrant Crisis and the Real One
Populism is dangerous and puts public health and the economy at risk. But it is hard to resist. Populist politicians thrive on fake news: it is so much easier to fuel people’s emotions if you feed them fabricated news of
Why Populism is Dangerous: How Italy’s Proposed Budget Deficit Threatens Europe
Populism is dangerous and puts public health and the economy at risk. But it is hard to resist. Populist politicians thrive on fake news: it is so much easier to fuel people’s emotions if you feed them fabricated news of
Why Populism is Dangerous: Public Health at Risk
Populism is dangerous and puts public health and the economy at risk. But it is hard to resist. Populist politicians thrive on fake news: it is so much easier to fuel people’s emotions if you feed them fabricated news of
Europe Haters, Unite! Steve Bannon at Work in Europe
Steve Bannon is roaming Europe trying to unite nationalist populist parties, in preparation of the next European Parliament elections coming up in May 2019. Bannon is a man to watch: alt-right guru, former investment banker, former executive chairman of Breitbart
Dangerous Times for Democracy: Why Italy is Key
Writing from Italy, New York Times foreign affairs Op Ed columnist and Pulitzer winner Thomas L. Friedman claims in a new not-to-be-missed piece that he will “ruin your breakfast, lunch and dinner “ and he certainly does. He argues that