A year ago, Carlo Calinda ran in the European Parliament elections in Italy, under the slogan: "We are Europeans," in a cry to defend his country's position in the European Union, at a time when nationalism is escalating. And now even Calinda, a 46-year-old former minister and permanent Italian representative to the European Union, is in a crisis of faith in an idea he spent his life fighting for. “This is an existential threat, and I am not sure whether or not we will do anything,” the Italian official says. “My party can be considered one of the most pro-European parties in Italy. I now have members who write to me asking: (Why do we want to stay in the European Union?) ».
Since Italy is facing its most serious crisis since World War II, with more than 15,000 deaths, due to the Corona virus, and its economy on the way to the worst recession in its modern history, there is a growing feeling among Italians, including those in Europe, that Italy's neighbors have abandoned it.
Calinda, who leads the newly formed liberal Labor Party, says there are thousands of supporters of Europe changing their minds. Last month, Italian President Sergio Mattarella warned that Europe’s future was in danger if its institutions did not show solidarity with his country. "I hope everyone will understand, before it is too late, the seriousness of the threat to Europe," he said in a televised speech, watched by millions of Italians. Now, many in Rome feel that unless bold actions are taken by northern European countries, they risk Italy turning its back on the European project, forever. There are already indications that Italian confidence in the European Union has been damaged. In a Tesni survey last month, 67% of respondents said that they believed joining the European Union was negative for their country, increasing the percentage from 47% in November 2018. Today the situation was more worrisome politically and economically than it was during the euro crisis.
The expectations of southern European countries, which were awaiting rapid solidarity from the rest of the European Union, were not correct in the early epidemic, even if the bloc increased beyond its aid, including financial aid and equipment. "I hope everything is fixed, but there is a great loss of reputation," said Donald Tusk, now head of the European People's Party, a center-right coalition. This is an emergency. ” Tusk says the union's help to Italy and other hard-hit countries is much greater than that it received from China and Russia, but he warns that "political perception can be more important than reality." In 2018, Italy became the first founding member to elect a government hostile to the European Union, with Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigration team and then deputy prime minister in the coalition government, who expressed his outright hostility to Brussels. The following year the government fell, and Salvini was expelled, which gave hope to Europeans as the national threat vanished. But many believe that the bitterness of the events, during the past month, can permanently change state policies in favor of Salvini.
In that, Lorentzo Prijliasco, a polling expert in Butterand, said that there was "a feeling before that the political system had marginalized the anti-European Union forces", continuing: "Now, if the pro-European activists and politicians are no longer certain of their feelings, then imagine. The opinion of the voters.
At the heart of the debate is a bitter divide over the eurozone’s economic response. Finance ministers will meet soon, in an attempt to agree on a package of measures aimed at organizing a greater financial strength across Europe. Italy is among the member states pushing for the eurozone to be more ambitious, through a collective bond sale, to help finance economic reconstruction efforts. The discussions are just another repetition of a long-standing row over collective financial measures economists call "debt swaps." The European Union has a bailout fund called the “European Stability Mechanism” that countries can use; but despite the reassurances, many Italians still fear lending from the institution will come under difficult conditions. Many will feel that their country is being punished for a disaster beyond its control.
Increased shock
The Italians, who support the European project, hope that the increased shock from the Corona crisis will push the intransigent northern European countries to launch a sign of solidarity big enough to repair the damage that has occurred. In recent days, opponents of collective financial measures have been on the defensive, as the sheer scale of the recession has become more evident. In the Netherlands, the government proposed a € 20 billion solidarity fund, with direct cash transfers to the Rome and Madrid stores, to finance emergency medical spending.
French Finance Minister Bruno Lemerre has drawn up plans for a "temporary and exceptional" mutual fund that would help countries start their recovery. This will result in the issuance of bonds with a joint guarantee, from all European Union member states, managed by the European Commission. "Solidarity means being able to pool our resources together to deal with the effects of the crisis," Lemerre said, adding: "Let's avoid any ideological discussions about Eurobonds." There is one political question: Do we stand with each other or not? ” As for Tusk, there is now little time left for the richest countries of the European Union, to make bold and positive initiatives, and to avoid instilling any sense of humiliation for countries that need help.
67%
They think that joining the European Union is negative.