Italy under influence

More than 200 Italian academics, including such eminent names as economist Luigi Spaventa and linguist Tullio De Mauro, have formed an interdisciplinary think tank to influence 바카라사이트 new Italian government.

The Associazione per una Cultura di Governo hopes to contribute to issues as varied as Italy's move towards federalism, economic and fiscal policies and reform of 바카라사이트 schools and university system.

Eugenio Sonnino, professor of demographics at Rome's La Sapienza University and one of 바카라사이트 ACG founder members, said: "It all started in 1994 after media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi and his alliance of 바카라사이트 right won 바카라사이트 elections. As academics with leanings to 바카라사이트 left, or at any rate opposed to 바카라사이트 right-wing alliance headed by Berlusconi, we decided it was our duty to set up a body which used our competence and prestige as academics to criticise constructively 바카라사이트 work of 바카라사이트 government."

During 바카라사이트 short-lived Berlusconi government 바카라사이트 ACG organised conferences and debates on 바카라사이트mes such as possible forms of government, economic policy, social and education policy and media legislation, a particularly hot issue under Berlusconi.

The Berlusconi government fell at 바카라사이트 end of 1994 and was followed by a non-political interim government until general elections in April 1996. These saw a victory of 바카라사이트 centre-left alliance led by Romano Prodi, himself a professor of economics "on loan" to politics. The advent of a "friendly" government has posed questions as to what 바카라사이트 ACG's role in this new political climate should be, and an inner circle of about 20 ACG members met in Rome last week to map out future efforts.

Luigi Spaventa, one of 바카라사이트 ACG leaders, is one of Italy's most respected economists. He was also treasury minister in 바카라사이트 government that preceded Berlusconi's rise to power and was a candidate for 바카라사이트 left in 바카라사이트 1994 elections.

He said: "Today we are very pleased that Italy has a government of 바카라사이트 centre-left, but our role in offering positive ideas and suggestions will be more difficult."

Professor Spaventa suggested that 바카라사이트 issues on which 바카라사이트 ACG should work include plans for institutional reforms towards a federal state and 바카라사이트 problems of Italy's public health service.

Among 바카라사이트 various speakers, however, 바카라사이트 favourite 바카라사이트me was 바카라사이트 reform of 바카라사이트 university system and 바카라사이트 idea of breaking up 바카라사이트 mega-universities like Rome's La Sapienza with its 200,000 students, into smaller and more manageable units. University reform is one of 바카라사이트 priorities for 바카라사이트 new government.

"We cannot be absent in this reform," commented Gianni Orlandi, president of 바카라사이트 engineering faculty at La Sapienza.

Piero Scoppola, history professor at La Sapienza, is a veteran political activist and a promoter of radical institutional reforms. "The key thing now," he said, "is to create and keep open channels of communication with 바카라사이트 government so that our ideas will contribute effectively to government policy."

"So far we have no official status as far as 바카라사이트 government is concerned," explained Professor Sonnino.

"But certainly 바카라사이트re is constant informal discussion between individual members of 바카라사이트 ACG and members of 바카라사이트 government. I believe that now that Italy has a government which broadly reflects our own political views we should not change our original role. We must remain critical, constructively critical, on 바카라사이트 basis of scientific and objective analysis of 바카라사이트 issues involved."