Global Affairs

Italy and the next crisis in Europe

A new populist government with radical economic ideas could spark another major confrontation within the EU

ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA
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Italy is used to having new prime ministers; the country has had no fewer than 66 different governments in almost as many years since World War II. Nor is it that unusual for Italy to endure a delay of almost three months since the general elections before the recent formation of its new government; after all the country has been run by a caretaker administration since December 2016.

And Mr Giuseppe Conte, Italy's new Prime Minister who plans to start work this week, is hardly a revolutionary; the 53-year-old is a law professor and parliamentarian, a bit of an unknown quantity but every bit the average European politician who happens to be the right man in the right place.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 28, 2018, with the headline Italy and the next crisis in Europe. Subscribe