On February 24-25 Italians will choose their next government. This is no ordinary election. It comes after the most serious financial crisis the European Union has experienced since its foundation. Italy has been at the center of this crisis due to its huge national debt and weak economy. One of the consequences was the resignation in November 2011 of prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, the media tycoon, who had dominated Italian politics for the past 20 years. He was replaced by a university professor, Mario Monti, who has governed Italy for the past 14 months as the head of a technocratic cabinet. Professors Chiaramonte and D’Alimonte explained the reasons behind the crisis, the reforms introduced by the Monti government and particularly the electoral campaign and its possible outcomes.
Program
6:00 p.m. Introduction Ellyn Toscano, Executive Director, New York University Florence
6:05 The Italian General Election of 2013: Background and Perspectives Roberto D´Alimonte, Professor of Political Science at LUISS-Guido Carli Rome and NYU Florence and Columnist for Il Sole 24 Ore Alessandro Chiaramonte, Professor of Political Science at the University of Florence and NYU Florence
