Salvini's gamble

摘要

It seems at times that Italy's role is to terrify the euro zone's other member states. In 2011 the refusal of its then prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, to tackle the euro crisis drove the single currency to the brink of collapse. Since then the country has had six governments and as many market-spooking crises. Its latest government fell apart on August 20th, when Giuseppe Conte resigned as prime minister, ending a rickety 14-month coalition between two populist, Eurosceptic parties: the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the na-tivist Northern League. The previous week Matteo Salvini, the League's leader, had withdrawn confidence in the government. He wants the top job for himself. How alarmed should Italy's partners be?