Politics of Italy

Carlo Cottarelli arrives for a meeting with the Italian President Sergio Mattarella walk next to each other

Has the Italian establishment gone too far in its bid to stop the populists from taking Rome?

Global Politics

After weeks of negotiations, an agreement had been signed by Five Star Movement and the hard-right party Lega. Then, at the last moment, Italian President Sergio Mattarella — who holds a largely ceremonial role as head of state — torpedoed the deal.

Former senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official Carlo Cottarelli

Italy looks set for new elections after political stalemate

An activist wearing a mask of Forza Italia party leader Silvio Berlusconi poses during a tour, the day after Italy's parliamentary elections, in Rome, Italy March 5, 2018.

How the murder of a young woman turned Italy’s elections into a referendum on immigration

Global Politics
Forensics inspect a car used by a gunman in Macerata, Italy, Feb. 3, 2018.

Italian man arrested after driving through city shooting at African migrants

Justice
Election campaign posters for the leader billionaire politician Andrej Babis in Prague, Czech Republic, reading: "Stand up against corruption and stop babbling."

The populist tide has spread to one of Central Europe’s last liberal democracies

Global Politics
venice

Venice prepares for autonomy vote on Sunday

Global Politics

In 2016, the Veneto region that includes Venice sent $18.35 billion more to Rome than it got back in public services – and taxpayers are not happy about it.

The World

Judgment Day for Italian PM Berlusconi

Global Politics

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faced two votes of confidence today in his country’s government. The Italian parliament in Rome conducted a vote of confidence on Berlusconi in the lower house last, and if the votes didn’t come down in his favor, he could have been forced to resign as Prime Minister. Berlusconi has escaped […]

Italy’s Berlusconi spends his first day performing community service

Global Politics

Silvio Berlusconi started his community service Friday. Italy’s flamboyant former prime minister showed up for his first shift at a clinic for Alzheimer’s patients near Milan. The billionaire tycoon will be working there a few hours a week for the next year as punishment for committing tax fraud.

Italy’s Berlusconi spends his first day performing community service

Global Politics

Silvio Berlusconi started his community service Friday. Italy’s flamboyant former prime minister showed up for his first shift at a clinic for Alzheimer’s patients near Milan. The billionaire tycoon will be working there a few hours a week for the next year as punishment for committing tax fraud.

Matteo Renzi looks set to become Italy's new Prime Minister

The Italian government collapses. Again.

Global Politics

The government of Italy has collapsed. But nobody is hitting the panic button. A new government could be formed in the next couple of days — and voters are unlikely to get a say. Again.