As Italy Seeks to Form a Government, Leaked Documents Stir Anxiety

Astounding that they seek an economic relationship with Russia in these times. I guess money trumps human rights, rule of law; the US isn't the only country going through the pendulum shift. Wish it could stop in the middle vs. the extremes.

Demographic collapse, corruption and incompetence, no investment in anything that might replace textile and white goods where Italians excelled and this is what you get. "All the others are to blame" seems irresistible. Best case scenario: the buffoons will be allowed to run the show and fail tragicomedia style!

Instead of blaming European Union as regards illegal immigrants,Italy needs to introspect on its weak policies that’s made its borders porous for illegals to flood the nation for onward march into European Union. The aggrieved party should be EU & not Italy. Britain’s exit is due to the burden of hosting illegals.

This article is further proof that the UK Brexit vote was sensible. The anti-Brexit advocates never gave a thought about whether the EU was stable enough for the UK to stay in. In fact the evidence was overwhelming that sooner or later other member states would leave it or be thrown out, and that the EU itself was on a path toward insolvency, not to mention member defiance of its laws. Think Greece, Italy, Spain, Hungry...

I love how they want to introduce economic uncertainty and then turn around and blame the bankers for reacting to it! Let's not forget the 300 billion Italy borrowed and now wants forgiven. And extra protection against other EU nations. Wow - if Italy wants to leave the EU, let them leave. It will be another stark example of what being outside the EU means with a devalued Lira, higher prices for Italians, and still no jobs. Well played, well played.

Italians before the Euro: Ran up massive debts and devalued their currency to get by. Italians after the Euro: Ran up massive debts and can't devalue the Euro to get by. Italian government before the Euro: patronage and corruption, well tolerated by the people. Italian government after the Euro: patronage and corruption, well tolerated by the people. Italian businesses before the Euro: highly protected and protective; restrictive of new entrants; entrenched bureaucrats (government and business) making obscene salaries and blocking entrance to newcomers. Italian businesses after the Euro: highly protected and protective; restrictive of new entrants; entrenched bureaucrats (government and business) making obscene salaries and blocking entrance to newcomers. Any questions?

First, Germany which took for ever to form a government. And now, Italy. It's hard to believe these sophisticated, more cultured than us Americans and for sure, more sophisticated - as Europeans can never stop boasting - cannot cobble a government together. And the comedy is this government will probably fall in less than 2 years prompting another round of elections. Or are the Russians meddling there too?? Any way you look, I can see why this POTUS has rightfully focused on "America First."

Italy, massive debt, economy moribund, hugely corrupt, so yes, why not ask Germany to forgive all your debt and why not leave the Euro? Why not? Almost as stupid as us...

Oops, they just forgot to mention the €400 billion they borrowed from the globalist Europeans. Remind me, wasn't Italy the "i" in the acronym "pigs"?

As someone who visits Italy quite often, people shouldn't make too much of this. Italy is a much more stable and moderate place than the rhetoric would suggest. Northern and central Italy, which have all the economic power, are very cosmopolitan in outlook, not that there aren't pockets of racism and xenophobia. The cozying up to Putin is odious but that is also not new. Italian Communists were making excuses for communism up until the collapse of communism and even afterward.

Another populist nightmare getting ready to sail on :(

I remember visiting Italy during the Lira. All the coins had disappeared, change was given in sweets, gum and telephone tokens. In the supermarket I was given a plastic disc and told I could use it next visit. Investing in Italian securities was a way to watch your investment go down as inflation ate it away. Prices and wages had to be inflation indexed or there would be instant strikes. Greece did not give up the Euro because it did not mean destroying savings, pensions and evaporating any money people did manage to have. We lost a large amt on the pound just by talking about leaving the EU- then doing it. The stock market may have taken a tumble but the Euro stayed firm. Give it up at your peril.

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=hYOs August 4, 2014 Real per capita Gross Domestic Product for Germany and Italy, 1992-2016 (Percent change) https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/?g=hYOt August 4, 2014 Real per capita Gross Domestic Product for Germany and Italy, 1992-2016 (Indexed to 1992) [ The Italian economy has been failing and the reasons are in domestic policy rather than Euro Area policy. ]