Mario Monti's offer to stay on as prime minister is motivated by a wish to prevent the scandal-tainted Silvio Berlusconi from returning to power and undoing key reforms, analysts said Monday.
"Berlusconi is the number one adversary. Monti's objective is in part a clear attempt to destroy him politically," Stefano Folli, political commentator for Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper, told AFP.
The outgoing premier, who resigned Friday after 13 months at the head of an unelected team of technocrats to take the helm of a caretaker government, said Sunday that he would consider leading a pro-reform coalition in elections set for February 24-25 -- though not as a formal candidate.
Read more: Italy's Monti wants to block Berlusconi comeback: analysts - FRANCE 24
Showing posts with label Mario Monti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mario Monti. Show all posts
12/10/12
Europe hails great Monti as Italy crisis hits markets
European partners heaped praise on outgoing Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti on Monday, and called for the next government to stick to his reform agenda after his surprise decision to resign rattled financial markets.
Monti's weekend announcement that he would step down early - made after former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's PDL party withdrew its support for his technocrat government - pushed up Italy's borrowing costs and prompted a stock market sell-off.
The campaign for an election expected in February is likely to be fought over Monti's reform agenda, which Berlusconi said had condemned Italy to recession and forced him reluctantly to run for a fifth term as prime minister.
By contrast, senior Europeans warned that Monti's policies must continue to prevent a return of the crisis which brought him to power a year ago to avert a Greek-style collapse.
"Monti was a great prime minister of Italy and I hope that the policies he put in place will continue after the elections," European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said in Oslo, where he was part of a European Union delegation receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
The comments echoed similar remarks in the past two days from European policymakers ranging from French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius to the head of the European bailout fund Klaus Regling and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos warned that instability in Italy could spill over and put Spain's fragile public finances at risk of further turmoil.
After several weeks of calm, markets bridled at the prospect of Berlusconi's return to lead the center-right, just over a year after a financial crisis drove the scandal-plagued billionaire from office to be replaced by Monti's technocrats.
Opinion polls suggest Berlusconi has little chance of re-election. The center-left Democratic Party (PD) under Pier Luigi Bersani holds a strong lead and is likely to form the next government on a broadly pro-European platform, largely in line with Monti's agenda.
Read more: Europe hails great Monti as Italy crisis hits markets | Reuters
Monti's weekend announcement that he would step down early - made after former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's PDL party withdrew its support for his technocrat government - pushed up Italy's borrowing costs and prompted a stock market sell-off.
The campaign for an election expected in February is likely to be fought over Monti's reform agenda, which Berlusconi said had condemned Italy to recession and forced him reluctantly to run for a fifth term as prime minister.
By contrast, senior Europeans warned that Monti's policies must continue to prevent a return of the crisis which brought him to power a year ago to avert a Greek-style collapse.
"Monti was a great prime minister of Italy and I hope that the policies he put in place will continue after the elections," European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said in Oslo, where he was part of a European Union delegation receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
The comments echoed similar remarks in the past two days from European policymakers ranging from French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius to the head of the European bailout fund Klaus Regling and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos warned that instability in Italy could spill over and put Spain's fragile public finances at risk of further turmoil.
After several weeks of calm, markets bridled at the prospect of Berlusconi's return to lead the center-right, just over a year after a financial crisis drove the scandal-plagued billionaire from office to be replaced by Monti's technocrats.
Opinion polls suggest Berlusconi has little chance of re-election. The center-left Democratic Party (PD) under Pier Luigi Bersani holds a strong lead and is likely to form the next government on a broadly pro-European platform, largely in line with Monti's agenda.
Read more: Europe hails great Monti as Italy crisis hits markets | Reuters
7/14/12
Italy passes market test despite Moody’s downgrade - by Valentina Za and Lisa Jucca
Italy passed a tough market test on Friday as its three-year borrowing costs fell well below 5 per cent at an auction hours after Moody’s cut the country’s rating to two notches above junk status.
The U.S. rating agency surprised markets on Friday by lowering Italy’s sovereign debt rating to Baa2 amid persistent worries about Spain’s ability to sort out its banking problems, concerns about a Greek exit from the euro and doubts over Italy’s long-term resolve to push through much-needed reforms.
Analysts say political uncertainty ahead of elections is the main risk for Italy, where frustration with austerity measures and the country’s weak and fragmented party system is stoking anti-European sentiment and has helped the meteoric rise of the populist Five Star Movement, led by comedian Beppe Grillo.
Respected technocrat Mr. Monti, who was called in last November to pull back Italy from the edge of the cliff and avoid a Greek-style debt crisis, has said he will stand down next year.
Three-times Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has kept a low profile since being forced out to leave room for Mr. Monti, announced this week he will return to front-line politics as the centre-right candidate, further muddling the political outlook.
Note EU-Digest: "reelecting Silvio Berlusconi would mean putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank said a member of Mr. Monti's coalition".
Read more: Italy passes market test despite Moody’s downgrade - The Globe and Mail
The U.S. rating agency surprised markets on Friday by lowering Italy’s sovereign debt rating to Baa2 amid persistent worries about Spain’s ability to sort out its banking problems, concerns about a Greek exit from the euro and doubts over Italy’s long-term resolve to push through much-needed reforms.
Analysts say political uncertainty ahead of elections is the main risk for Italy, where frustration with austerity measures and the country’s weak and fragmented party system is stoking anti-European sentiment and has helped the meteoric rise of the populist Five Star Movement, led by comedian Beppe Grillo.
Respected technocrat Mr. Monti, who was called in last November to pull back Italy from the edge of the cliff and avoid a Greek-style debt crisis, has said he will stand down next year.
Three-times Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has kept a low profile since being forced out to leave room for Mr. Monti, announced this week he will return to front-line politics as the centre-right candidate, further muddling the political outlook.
Note EU-Digest: "reelecting Silvio Berlusconi would mean putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank said a member of Mr. Monti's coalition".
Read more: Italy passes market test despite Moody’s downgrade - The Globe and Mail
5/8/12
Italy’s Monti pushes for EU growth agenda with Rehn - by Gavin Jones
Prime Minister Mario Monti on Tuesday set out Italy’s priorities for growth in the euro zone, calling for changes in the way budget deficits are calculated and urging the EU Commission to be more active in setting a growth agenda.
Speaking at a conference attended by EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn, Monti said the time for studying and talking about how to boost the euro zone’s stagnant economy was over.
“I exhort Commissioner Rehn and the Commission to take a very active and leading role,” said Monti.
He called for changes in EU budget rules to allow governments to pay outstanding bills to the private sector without pushing up their budget deficits, and greater distinction between public investments and other types of spending.
Read more: NewsWires : euronews : the latest international news as video on demand
Speaking at a conference attended by EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn, Monti said the time for studying and talking about how to boost the euro zone’s stagnant economy was over.
“I exhort Commissioner Rehn and the Commission to take a very active and leading role,” said Monti.
He called for changes in EU budget rules to allow governments to pay outstanding bills to the private sector without pushing up their budget deficits, and greater distinction between public investments and other types of spending.
Read more: NewsWires : euronews : the latest international news as video on demand
4/9/12
Italy - Prime Minister Monti worried by Syrian situation
The Italian government is "seriously concerned" about the situation in Syria. Indeed, Syrian president Bashar al-Assad does not seem to be respecting the deadline agreed upon with the UN to enforce the peace plan. "I cannot predict, just like any other leader cannot, what will happen tomorrow", Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti said, speaking on the sidelines of a speech delivered at an official dinner held at the residence of the Italian ambassador to Egypt. .
For more: AGI.it - Prime Minister Monti worried by Syrian situation
For more: AGI.it - Prime Minister Monti worried by Syrian situation
3/20/12
Italy: Italians take heart from a pair of Super Marios, projecting image of "can-do Italy"
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| Mario Monti |
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| Mario Draghi |
The two Marios, both in their roles since November, have the seal of approval from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a key figure in Europe’s drive to save itself from ruin.
For more: Italians take heart from a pair of Super Marios, projecting image of can-do Italy - The Washington Post
2/8/12
Italy's Premier Mario Monti: "Time to Focus on Growth in Europe"
In an interview with Margaret Warner in Rome, Italy's Premier Mario Monti said now is the time to start focusing on "how collectively we can achieve more growth in Europe." Monti also said "old phantoms" of resentment between the North and South of Europe had reemerged in light of the euro zone crises.
For the PBS TV interview click here
For the PBS TV interview click here
2/4/12
Italy and Libya move to re-establish old friendship
The links between Italy and its former North African territory go back not only to the brief 36 years of colonial rule at the beginning of the 20th Century, but to a much remoter past - nearly two millennia ago, to be exact.
In the Italian capital Rome, the triumphal arch erected by Septimius Severus - the first African-born Roman emperor (he was born in Libya and died in York in England during a military expedition to Britain) - still dominates the ruins of the Roman Forum.
A treaty of "eternal friendship" had been signed between Silvio Berlusconi and Muammar Gaddafi in 2008. ENI, Italy's state owned oil company, enjoyed valuable long-term oil concessions, both in the Sahara desert and - for the future - offshore, and 25% of Italy's oil and gas needs were supplied by the former colony.
The friendship treaty became a dead letter after Nato's bombing raids flew out of Italian military airfields. Italy's embassy in Tripoli was burned and trashed by Gaddafi mobs.
Now, very slowly and tentatively, relations are being restored. "Paternalism is not the order of the day," a senior Italian diplomat told me. The Monti government has held out a hand of friendship offering assistance in many fields including the training of Libya's future security and police forces.
For more: BBC News - Italy and Libya move to re-establish old friendship
In the Italian capital Rome, the triumphal arch erected by Septimius Severus - the first African-born Roman emperor (he was born in Libya and died in York in England during a military expedition to Britain) - still dominates the ruins of the Roman Forum.
A treaty of "eternal friendship" had been signed between Silvio Berlusconi and Muammar Gaddafi in 2008. ENI, Italy's state owned oil company, enjoyed valuable long-term oil concessions, both in the Sahara desert and - for the future - offshore, and 25% of Italy's oil and gas needs were supplied by the former colony.
The friendship treaty became a dead letter after Nato's bombing raids flew out of Italian military airfields. Italy's embassy in Tripoli was burned and trashed by Gaddafi mobs.
Now, very slowly and tentatively, relations are being restored. "Paternalism is not the order of the day," a senior Italian diplomat told me. The Monti government has held out a hand of friendship offering assistance in many fields including the training of Libya's future security and police forces.
For more: BBC News - Italy and Libya move to re-establish old friendship
1/8/12
Italy’s prime minister urges EU teamwork on debt crisis
o European nation is strong enough to ride out the continent’s debt crisis alone, Italy’s new prime minister said yesterday, urging fellow EU members to develop a common growth policy.
Prime Minister Mario Monti, leader of the eurozone’s third-largest economy, is an economist who came to power in November with a mandate to pull Italy back from the brink of financial disaster. “Italy, in order to develop economically and socially, needs Europe, and Europe to be stronger needs Italy,’’ Monti said in a speech in the northern city of Reggio Emilia at a ceremony honoring the Italian flag.
For more: Italy’s prime minister urges EU teamwork on debt crisis - World - The Boston Globe
Prime Minister Mario Monti, leader of the eurozone’s third-largest economy, is an economist who came to power in November with a mandate to pull Italy back from the brink of financial disaster. “Italy, in order to develop economically and socially, needs Europe, and Europe to be stronger needs Italy,’’ Monti said in a speech in the northern city of Reggio Emilia at a ceremony honoring the Italian flag.
“No European country is so strong to think it can go forward alone in facing the great global economies,’’ he added. “It’s time for everyone to do their homework. No one can think they can do less than the others.’’
11/13/11
Italy names economist Mario Monti interim prime minister amid crisis
With the clock ticking to pull Italy back from the brink of a full-blown debt crisis, the nation turned Sunday to a clinical-minded economist to take the reins of power after the resignation of its longtime playboy prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi.
Mario Monti, a 68-year-old former university president and European commissioner, was named interim prime minister, effectively charging him with the task of bringing Italy’s bickering political parties together behind a new transitional government.
For more: Italy names economist Mario Monti interim prime minister amid crisis - The Washington Post
Mario Monti, a 68-year-old former university president and European commissioner, was named interim prime minister, effectively charging him with the task of bringing Italy’s bickering political parties together behind a new transitional government.
For more: Italy names economist Mario Monti interim prime minister amid crisis - The Washington Post
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