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POLITICS

Renzi calls for ‘radical change’ in Italy

UPDATED: Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called for a "radical and immediate change" in Italy in an energetic and impassioned speech to parliament on Monday which outlined his government programme but was light on detail.

Renzi calls for 'radical change' in Italy
The new premier called for a "radical and immediate change" in Italy in an impassioned speech on Monday. Photo: AFP/Andreas Solaro

The new premier said there were no excuses for failing to tackle the recession-hit country's ills and told senators Italy would become a "country of opportunity" in a largely ad-lib speech ahead of a confidence vote in the upper house of parliament.

"If we lose this challenge the fault will be all mine. No-one has an alibi anymore," said the 39-year-old — Italy's youngest ever prime minister.

"This is an Italy of possibilities, an Italy of fundamental change," he said, stressing the "urgency" of implementing reforms in "a rusty country…gripped by anxiety".

Renzi, who grasped power after helping oust his predecessor Enrico Letta over failures to do enough to boost a flagging economy, reiterated plans for rapidly overhauling the tax system, job market and public administration.

Telling the personal stories of specific individuals — including a jobless father and a man killed by a reckless driver — he pledged to review unemployment benefits, establish a guarantee fund for small companies and comprehensively reform the justice system.

He also promised to cut the tax burden by a double-digit figure by the first half of 2014 and pay off public administration debts.

The confidence vote later Monday will be a key test of Renzi's power to unite warring factions in Italy's parliament and secure a solid majority.

The former mayor of Florence is expected to win based on the support of his own centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and his coalition partners — the centrists and the New Centre Right (NCD) party.

Political analysts will however be paying close attention to the size of the majority he manages to secure, as an indication as to whether the new government has a chance of living out its mandate until 2018 or whether the country will end up back at the polls.

"We are not afraid of going to the polls," Renzi said.

Former premier Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) party is in opposition, although it has agreed to support key decrees on a case by case basis.

The anti-establishment Five Star movement — Italy's other main opposition party — has slammed Renzi for stealing the top job and called for immediate elections, and some political watchers say Renzi's failure could significantly boost their numbers.

A bold-faced Renzi stared down critics hollering insults from among the movement's benches and spoke out against populism and for Europe.

He said Italy must tackle its towering public debt — equivalent to 130 percent of total economic output — not because German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for it, but because "it is our duty to, for our children's sake".

He spoke of the need for greater transparency — making public spending receipts available online — and of the need to attract foreign investors and shake off the image of Italy "as just a great holiday destination".

Renzi's insistence on speed has impressed some analysts, who say it may help him avoid getting stifled under the weight of Italian bureaucracy.

"By keeping up the momentum, Renzi is increasing the chances of these important reforms going through despite likely resistance from various camps," Christian Schulz, senior economist at Berenburg, said in a note.

"Much will depend on the concrete reform proposals and how they will be watered down in the inevitable political wrangling afterwards," he said.

But Chiara Corsa and Loredana Federico from Unicredit asked "whether the Renzi government is strong enough or sufficiently 'revolutionary' to implement the reform agenda".

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TERRORISM

Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Italy was to increase surveillance in busy areas ahead of the Easter holidays and following the bombing of a Moscow concert hall, ministers agreed on Monday.

Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Italy’s national committee for public security, chaired by Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, on Monday said anti-terrorism monitoring in Italy must be strengthened ahead of the Easter holidays, with more surveillance to be carried out at popular tourist spots and at “sensitive sites”.

The committee agreed on “the importance of continuing monitoring activity, including online, by police and intelligence forces for the identification of possible risk situations” in Italy, reported news agency Ansa.

The security meeting was convened following the terrorist attack in Moscow on Friday where armed men opened fire and set the building ablaze, killing at least 133 people.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had stressed to the public on Sunday that Italy faced “no concrete risk” and said the country’s security and law enforcement services were “always on the alert to prevent any attack.”

“During the Easter holidays you will need to be very careful. We will always do the utmost to ensure the safety of citizens and tourists,” Tajani said, speaking on national broadcaster Rai’s current affairs show Restart.

READ ALSO: Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

The fight against terrorism “has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine,” the minister continued.

“We support Ukraine” as an invaded country in which international law has been violated, he said, “but as the Italian government we have expressed our condemnation of the attack [in Moscow] and closeness to the families of the victims and the survivors”.

Cabinet Secretary Alfredo Mantovano said on the same programme that the main terrorist threat Italy faced at the moment was mainly from “lone wolves” and “not so much from organised groups.”

“I believe that a group like the one that acted in the Moscow attack, which must have been trained and had logistical support, would be intercepted sooner in Italy,” he said.

“The most worrying threat” in Italy was online recruitment, he said, noting that propaganda was closely monitored.

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