In need of reform

摘要

Not long ago, he was the belle of Europe's disorderly ball. Of late, he has become everyone's favourite target. The latest critic to line up for a shot at Italy's prime minister, Mario Monti, is the European Commission. In the event, some of the stiffest criticisms in its annual economic report card were scrapped or diluted (eg, improving the recovery of unpaid taxes is no longer "still insufficient" but instead "a key challenge"). Yet the report still betrayed worries that Mr Monti's nonparty government is losing momentum.