Protectionism faces its first serious defeat in Italy
The latest rival of liberalism, protectionism, has faced its first defeat in Italy, with the collapse of the populist coalition in the country, and with the emergence of the populist-liberal coalition.
The birth of the Northern league-Five Star Movement coalition government in Italy was considered as the first nail on the coffin of liberalism in Europe.
It provided huge impetus to the populist-protectionist forces across the Europe as well as across the world.
Unsurprisingly, the Italian populist regime could not survive unaffected for long. It met the same fate the rivals of liberalism usually meet. The praised coalition collapsed completely.
The regime was anti-migrant, anti-Europe and even anti-establishment. It was in all sense a true supporter of protectionism.
The issue between the two populist partners stated not so long after their induction to the seat of power in the country.
Though both were of similar views on most sensitive issues like the migrant issue, their degree of affection to the slogans they raised during the election varied.
The Five Star Movement was more visionary than the Northern League. It was the former who first realised the impracticability of their slogans. It within no time understood that it needs to evolve itself to get in terms with the reality.
The unusual move it has recently taken to join its hands with its rival, Democratic Party, is the clear sign of the steps it has climbed in its ladder of evolution.
The present PD-Five Star Movement government is the youngest government to come to power in the country in its recent history. The average age of its council of ministers is less than forty-seven. Moreover, it is special in its commitment towards gender equality; one third of the members of the council of ministers are women.
As per a latest report, the new coalition has diluted the country’s stand on the migrant policy. There are enough indications available to assume that the country has moved away from protectionism and has launched its journey towards its previous stand – that is liberalism.
The impact of what has happened in the European country of Italy is likely to reflect in the rest of the world severely.
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