Italian Politics
Its been fascinating studying politics in Rome. The system here, while constitutionally designed similar to the USA, functions very differently. I have been enjoying learning all about it in my classes and I am trying to stay updated with the local politics. Politics plays such a large role in Italian life that it is hard to ignore it, especially when I live next to the Senate and a block away from parliament. Currently, the state under Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has a monopoly on the news outlets in Italy. Recently, an independent left winged paper, la Republica, reported on the Prime Minster sex scandals and the Prime Minster has threatened to sue the paper. This has caused a massive movement of the left demanding for greater freedom of press.
Two days ago I walked down Via della Corso, the main boulevard in Rome, to get to Villa Broghese which is a peaceful area of huge gardens in the north of Rome. I was dressed in sneakers and a tank top all ready to go for a leisurely run in the gardens. However, when I got to Piazza del Popolo at the end of Via della Corso (stick with me, don’t give up!) there were many more people than usual. I began to look around and saw that they were setting up for a rally. There were booths everywhere selling red t-shirts with the Communist hammer and sickle logo in yellow among other leftist apparel. There were men from the la Republica selling newspapers and people had started to fill the square. I continued on my way only after joking about the irony or an American in Italy being stuck in the center of a Communist rally (a thought that still makes me laugh). I ran in the gardens and around Galleria Borghese and when I was done headed back to Piazza del Popolo. I looked down on the square from the hill above and in the short time I was gone the piazza had filled edge to edge with people. Music was playing, chants were being yelled, and there were la Republicas everywhere. I fought my way though the crowed to make my way home, glad I had been able to witness Italian politics in action.
Later on I went to dinner with a few girls. Our waiter stuck up a conversation and asked us what we were studying. I answered politics and he immediately apologized for the confusion and intricate difficulties of the Italian political system. He then went on to inform me that his Prime Minister, Berlusconi, was a fascist, which by now, especially after witnessing the rally earlier today, I had come to see as a widely held belief by the Romans.
Italian politics sure is a lot to handle. I guess it can best be summed up by saying that in the past 60 years, Italy has seen more than 60 different governments. That’s a whole lot, and each one has an interesting story to tell.
2 years ago • Notes