'EU will be CHANGED!' Brussels panic as eurosceptics SOAR ahead of Italy election

NEXT year’s Italy election could see a eurosceptic, anti-establishment group become the biggest party in the country - setting alarm bells ringing in Brussels

It could also lead to a vote on Italian membership of the eurozone as the Five Star Movement (5S) soars in the polls.

An Italian general election is set to be held in 2018 with eurosceptic 5S now predicted to be the largest party.

Party leader Luigi Di Maio said he would hold referendums on membership of the eurozone if elected and urged Brussels to look seriously at financial reform.

He said unless Brussels listened to his party’s many concerns he would hold a vote on whether to pull Italy from the single currency.

Mr Di Maio said: “If we succeed, Europe will be changed and we won’t need a referendum on the euro. Otherwise we’ll ask Italians if they want to stay in or not.

Earlier this month he said the referendum would be a “last resort” to be called only if it was not possible to ease European Union governance rules.

5S is predicted to emerge as the largest single party in the next parliament but it has repeatedly ruled out joining any coalition.

The Democrats were polling at over 30 per cent in March but have now plummeted to 24 per cent.





5S where also polling at around 30 per cent in May. They too dropped points during the year but have since rallied and remain steady at more than 28.

Populist parties Forza Italia and Lega Norda are also gaining in the polls, from 13 to nearly 17 and 12 to 14 respectively.

:express.co.uk

issuevoter wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2018 at 6:02pm:


You're forgetting trade and security - the reason all empires continue to exist.

Language and religion mean sht. The Roman and British empires ruled the lot. What counts is the Pax Romana, as every schoolboy knows.

issuevoter wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2018 at 10:07pm:


Never watched the Commonwealth Games, eh? Never seen World Series Cricket?

There there. Most nations aren't even united by language, as every schoolboy knows.

Lisa Jones wrote on Jan 3^rd, 2018 at 11:23pm:


No answer?

Italy became a nation in 1871. Prior to this, it was a collection of ever-contested kingdoms and provinces. Italians are not at all nationalistic. They're loyal to their cities, their language, their food and their culture, but hardly their nation or political system. 

Italians are happy to be in the EU, just as prior to 1871, they were resigned to being in the Holy Roman Empire. Not only would Italy be nuts to leave the EU, Italians are happy with it. If the EU became a nation state tomorrow, it would hardly effect Italians. The Viennese would still be Venetians, Sicilians would still be Sicilians, Romans and Genoans and Florentines still Romans and Genoans and Florentines.

It was a miracle that Italy ever became a nation state at all.

Bias_2012 wrote on Jan 5^th, 2018 at 3:30pm:


Australia owes a huge amount to Italian immigrants. They started our coffee culture, which has now been exported to New York. Australian coffee roasters are now big business. Italians revolutionised out eating habits. Back in the 80s, supermarkets sold three brands of cheese, Kraft, Koon and Bega. Not anymore. Chicken Parmiagana is now listed as an Australian dish on tourist sites. Pizza is everywhere.

Pizza, by the way, was given to Italy by the Arabs, who are now the main pizza cooks where I live. Without a doubt, Italians have made Australia a better place, just as the Arabs gave their bit to Italy, and on and on it goes. Monocultures rarely exist, and free trade and immigration benefits everyone. It certainly transformed Australia from a sleepy, stodgy colonial outpost to a vibrant, interesting culture.

Our culture is multicultural, just as the Romans and Venetians and Florentines changed Europe - for good.

Mattyfisk wrote on Jan 6^th, 2018 at 1:10pm:


I agree with this, Karnal.

Bias_2012 wrote on Jan 6^th, 2018 at 11:46pm:


The Italian political system is a mess, dear. Australia's is, to a large degree, trusted.

People aren't turning on the major parties because of the system. In Italy, there's a sense national politics themselves are futile. Australians, on the other hand, gravitate to their federal system.

In Italy, Europe has, to some degree, saved Italy from itself.