The ECB and the Fed

By: Charles Wyplosz, Graduate Institute of International Studies

Facing different situations, the Fed and the ECB muddle through, each in its own way.

The case against a Grand Coalition in 2009

By: Wolfgang Münchau

Forget all this hogwash about the responsibility of the cenrtre. Grand coalitions are undemocratic.

The Berlusconi reforms: A first assessement

By: Marco Valli

The Berlusconi government has had a reasonably good start. This article discusses some of the reform measures, including tax cuts on productivity bonuses and the abolition of an unpopular real estate tax.

A Berlusconi-Sarkozy alliance in Europe?

By: Richard Robert, Telos think tank

As French President Nicolas Sarkozy was among the first to congratulate the newly elected Italian leader, concern is growing on a possible Berlusconi-Sarkozy alliance in Europe. But even if both leaders have a common rhetoric on specific topics, such as monetary or immigration policy, their goals and strategies look different.

The failure of the Prodi administration

By: Wolfgang Munchau

A little over a year ago, I made a forecast that unfortunately turned out to be correct. I predicted that the government of Romano Prodi, the Italian prime minister, would fail to bring about a necessary economic transformation. The Prodi adminstrations multiple failures are now plainly obvious.

Electoral reform is not a priority for Italy

The main obstacle to a realignment of Italian politics is Silvio Berlusconi. As long as he is in place, there will be no realignment of Italian politics.