Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 7 September 2019
Italy-EU honeymoon has just started, but needs to last

By GIADA ZAMPANO Parliament, told AP.
LORNE COOK She also stressed that the
Associated Press real game changer hap-
ROME (AP) — Italy’s new pened when, shepherd-
coalition government has ed by Conte, the 5-Stars
been hailed as good news backed the election of the
for Europe, as a more Brus- European Commission’s
sels-friendly lineup replaces new head, Ursula von der
the populist coalition in Layen, isolating the League
which right-wing leader that voted against her.
Matteo Salvini and his euro- The choice of Roberto
skeptic League held con- Gualtieri, chair of the Eu-
siderable sway. ropean Parliament’s eco-
But unless European coun- nomic affairs commission,
tries lend a strong hand to as new economy minister,
Rome on everything from has also reassured interna-
budget constraints to mi- tional rating agencies and
gration policies, shifting investors.
course too abruptly could The EU is expected to pro-
damage the coalition of vide him more wiggle room
the anti-establishment as he drafts a complex
5-Star Movement and the budget that needs to avert
center left Democratic Par- a painful and unpopular
ty, or PD. 23-billion euro ($25 billion)
Salvini’s hardline stance Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, rings the bell that traditionally opens the meeting of the sales tax hike. The VAT in-
toward Brussels still enjoys cabinet at Chigi Palace in Rome, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. crease was introduced by
widespread support in Italy. Associated Press the previous government
Political analysts note the interior minister and deputy League,” said Luigi Sca- stance within the 5-Stars. and is set to go into effect
newly-installed cabinet, premier, pulled the plug on zzieri, researcher for think- The once euro-skeptic next year unless the current
with moderate and pro-Eu- the coalition hoping to trig- thank Center for European party has been gradually government can raise the
rope ministers in key posts, ger snap elections and win Reform. evolving over the past few funds otherwise.
averted what Italy’s Euro- the premiership. “While it has no appetite for years into a moderate po- The new Italian candidate
pean partners perceived The new cabinet has won fiscal tightening, and wants litical force. It has dropped for the Commission, former
as a nightmare scenario: praise abroad, starting to change eurozone fiscal its old call for a referendum premier and foreign minis-
a League-dominated gov- with U.S. President Donald rules, it will be much less on leaving the eurozone, ter Paolo Gentiloni, is also
ernment which would have Trump, who endorsed Pre- willing to pick a fight with and its new platform has poised to get an impor-
likely pushed Italy to a new mier Giuseppe Conte, and the EU,” he added. converged with the PD’s tant EU portfolio, possibly
confrontation with the Eu- future European Central Scazzieri noted that if Eu- on the need to strengthen the economic affairs or the
ropean Commission over Bank president Christine La- rope gives Italy more lee- Italy’s role in Europe while competition post, in what
costly budget measures, garde. It has also reassured way on its budget — which moving away from auster- would be seen as the stron-
just as Italy’s battered markets, with Italy’s bor- must be submitted to the ity measures that have hit gest endorsement to Italy
economy risks facing a rowing costs easing from Commission by mid-Octo- the economy. from European partners.
new recession. recent highs. ber and approved by the “Now we are strongly unit- Gentiloni met von der Ley-
The uneasy 5-Stars-PD alli- “The new government is end of the year — and help ed over the idea that the en for one hour on Friday in
ance was the unexpected likely to be more responsi- it manage migration flows, EU has to be overhauled, Brussels, as the process to
result of Italy’s mid-summer ble in economic terms than it would not only “steal the not destroyed,” Tiziana form the new EU cabinet,
crisis, which began when either the previous one, League’s thunder,” but also Beghin, head of the 5-Stars to be unveiled on Tuesday,
Salvini, then the powerful or a cabinet led by the foster a more pro-European delegation in the European still seems wide open.q
Algerians protest over plan for swift elections

By AOMAR OUALI Algeria has been without achieve that goal. Many
Associated Press an elected president since opposition politicians are
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — protesters, helped by the withholding judgment on
Tens of thousands of pro- army chief, forced Ab- Gaid Salah’s call for quick
testers piled once again delaziz Bouteflika to resign elections while others fear
onto the streets of the Al- in early April. that he is seeking a return
gerian capital and other Nationwide demonstra- of a system they reject.
cities Friday with many re- tions started Feb. 22 to In the absence of an elect-
jecting the army chief’s call protest plans by Boutef- ed president, Gaid Salah
for presidential elections lika, who was rarely seen in has positioned himself as
before the end of the year. public since a 2013 stroke, the country’s main author-
This week’s pro-democ- to seek a fifth mandate. His ity figure, and sends out
racy protest, the 29th in a administration was mired in messages to Algerians via
row, is seen as a test of the corruption and top figures his numerous speeches to
continued strength of the have since been impris- soldiers during visits to bar-
movement and a way to Algerian demonstrators take to the streets in the capital to oned, along with leading racks. Many Algerians want
gauge the temperature of protest against the government, in Algeria, Friday, Sept. 6, 2019. industrialists. a transition period to work
Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah’s Associated Press Protesters now seek a out how to proceed, while
call this week to set a date elections. That would mean law 90 days later — in mid- democratic government others want elections but
by Sept. 15 for presidential voting would be held by December. and want a say in how to with conditions. q