Italy

Italy has been characterized by instability and complex governance arrangements due to national unity governments, technocratic governments and a deeply rooted populist political culture that make it difficult for governments to hold power for long periods. High political party volatility has been the norm since the 1990s, when the party system collapsed due to the Tangentopoli scandal. The party system has also become increasingly polarized in recent years around two axes: anti-establishment and mainstream parties, and pro-European and Eurosceptic parties. The perfect bicameralism, referring to the Italian system in which the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate share the same powers in the legislation making process, has also contributed to instability. In recent years, the country has experienced a growing exclusionary debate, especially towards migrants and other minorities such as Roma and LGBTIQ+ people, which also extends to discussions on the Italian citizenship law. Economic issues are strongly present in the public and political debate due to the country’s public debt, in-work poverty, and the recent reduction in purchasing power. The demographic crisis of an ageing population and its economic effects further present a pressing issue for politics, in particular the debates about the Italian pension system.  Italy is further marked by a strong divide between the wealthy North and an economically weaker South. 

Italy’s relatively strong democratic performance belies the worrying trends related to several GSoDI attributes. In addition, the rise of illiberal forces in the country is unprecedented. Corruption has always been a key concern for the outlook of the country. Although improvements have taken place in recent years,  political corruption has become increasingly entwined with Italian organized crime groups. The pervasiveness of the organised-crime landscape presents a further notable hurdle to the judicial system, despite significant improvements since the 1990s. Another area to watch is Media Integrity, which is at risk due to threats and attacks towards journalists and a concentration of traditional media ownership. Moreover, Civil Liberties should be observed over the coming years due to the persistence of exploitation and abuse of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants, as well as the increase in recorded hate crimes and rhetoric. Lastly, consequences of climate change - such as extreme heat and the resulting droughts and wildfires - exacerbate existing problems and affect Italy’s already stagnant economy, in particular water availability and agriculture.