Italy has a new populist government — and a new constitutional headache
Italy’s convoluted political crisis has finally reached an endpoint. On June 1, the country has a new government supported by the Five Star Movement and the Lega, and led by a “neutral” prime minister with no previous political experience: a lawyer and academic named Giuseppe Conte. The steps leading to government formation give important insights on the evolution of the Italian political system — and indeed on the evolution of European democracies.
Here’s what just happened. In Italy’s March 4 general elections, no party won a clear parliamentary majority. The anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), with 32.7 percent of the votes, won the most votes.… Seguir leyendo »