On June 2nd, which happened to be the 52nd birthday of the Italian republic, a bold attempt to rectify the worst failings of its political system was pronounced dead—or at any rate in a deep coma. This gloomy diagnosis followed the failure of an attempt at constitutional reform known as the bicamerale, after the parliamentary committee that struggled hard to reach agreement on some desirable changes. The collapse sends a lamentable message: none of the institutions or individuals involved in Italian politics seems prepared to sacrifice short-term interests for the country's political health.
展开▼
