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‘Markets will teach Italy to vote for the right thing’: EU official’s comment causes uproar

Senior Italian politicians on Tuesday called for EU budget commissioner Gunther Oettinger to resign over an "absurd" comment in which he voiced the hope that the country's poor economic situation will keep populist parties out of government.

Published: 29 May 2018 18:36 CEST
'Markets will teach Italy to vote for the right thing': EU official's comment causes uproar
EU budget commissioner Gunther Oettinger. Photo: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP

Italy is facing the likely prospect of fresh elections after President Sergio Mattarella on Sunday blocked a cabinet proposed by the anti-immigrant League and their allies, the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S). The chaotic developments have spooked investors, who fear another election could see an even better result for the populist, eurosceptic parties.

In an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, EU commissioner Oettinger said here had been a “noticeable downturn” in government bonds, banks' market values and in Italy's economy in general, which “the government formation may be responsible for”.

“I can only hope,” he added, “that this will play a role in the election campaign, in the sense of sending a signal to voters not to hand power to populists on the right and left.” His argument was picked up by a journalist in a comment which Oettinger then retweeted: “The markets will teach Italy to vote for the right thing.”

Far-right League leader Matteo Salvini immediately pounced upon the message. “It's crazy, in Brussels they have no shame,” Salvini tweeted.

“'The markets will teach Italy how to vote.' That sounds like a threat to me! I'm not afraid,” he continued, before calling on Oettinger to resign “this afternoon” in a Facebook video.

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Even the country's pro-European Democratic Party (PD) had strong words for Oettinger. “No one can tell Italians how to vote, not least the markets. Italy must be respected,” said Maurizio Martina, interim leader of the PD. Outgoing Minister of Economic Development, Carlo Calenda, also from the PD, called for “an apology or resignation” of the EU commissioner.

Five Star leader, Luigi Di Maio, also weighed into the debate. “'The markets will teach you to vote.' The words of the European Commissioner, Mr. Oettinger, are absurd,” said Di Maio.

“These people treat Italy like a summer colony where they come to spend their holidays. But in a few months a government of change will be born and in Europe we will finally be respected.”

European officials were quick to distance themselves from the remark. European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas labelled the comment “unwise”. 

“It is the Italians and only the Italians who will decide on the future of their country. Nobody else,” he said.

European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker assured Tuesday that Italy's “fate does not lie” in the financial markets' hands and that Rome will pursue its pro-EU path no matter which party is in power. 

READ ALSO: What does Italy's constitution have to say about its political crisis?


Photo; Patrick Herzog/AFP

EU

Italy’s Meloni hopes EU ‘understands message’ from voters

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Saturday she hoped the European Union would understand the "message" sent by voters in last weekend's elections, after far-right parties such as hers made gains.

Published: 15 June 2024 17:33 CEST
Italy's Meloni hopes EU 'understands message' from voters

Meloni, head of the post-fascist Brothers of Italy party, which performed particularly well in the vote, urged the EU to “understand the message that has come from European citizens”.

“Because if we want to draw lessons from the vote that everything was fine, I fear it would be a slightly distorted reading,” she told a press conference at the end of a G7 summit in Puglia.

“European citizens are calling for pragmatism, they are calling for an approach that is much less ideological on several major issues,” she said.

Meloni’s right-wing government coalition has vehemently opposed the European Green Deal and wants a harder stance on migration.

“Citizens vote for a reason. It seems to me that a message has arrived, and it has arrived clearly,” she said.

EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Monday to negotiate the top jobs, including whether European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen will get a second term.

Von der Leyen’s centre-right European People’s Party strengthened its grip with the vote, but her reconfirmation is not yet in the bag.

The 65-year-old conservative was in Puglia for the G7 and likely used the summit to put her case to the leaders of France, Germany and Italy.

But Meloni refused to be drawn on whom she is backing.

“We will have a meeting on Monday, we’ll see,” she told journalists.

“We will also see what the evaluations will be on the other top roles,” she said.

Italian political watchers say Meloni is expected to back von der Leyen, but is unlikely to confirm that openly until Rome locks in a deal on commissioner jobs.

“What interests me is that… Italy is recognised for the role it deserves,” she said.

“I will then make my assessments.”

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani indicated that it was unlikely any decision would be made before the French elections on June 30 and July 7.

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