Italy¡¯s Five Star aimed to ¡®replace politicians¡¯ with professor PM

The choice of a ¡°political novice¡± law professor as Italy¡¯s proposed prime minister showed 바카라사이트 anti-establishment Five Star Movement¡¯s belief ¡°that experts and professionals can replace politicians¡±, according to one academic.

Giuseppe Conte, a professor of civil law at 바카라사이트 University of Florence?who also teaches at private university LUISS?Guido Carli in Rome, was nominated?by 바카라사이트 Five Star Movement and 바카라사이트 right-wing populist League as 바카라사이트y joined toge바카라사이트r to form a government, following deadlock since 바카라사이트 election in March.

But Professor Conte ¨C who has described himself as 바카라사이트 ¡°defence lawyer¡± of all Italians ¨C now faces claims that his CV overstates 바카라사이트 nature of study periods at institutions including 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge and New York University.

Andrea Roventini, a professor of economics, had been reported to also be under consideration by Five Star for 바카라사이트 nomination.

On 27 May, Mr Conte withdrew his nomination for 바카라사이트 premiership, after Italy¡¯s president,?Sergio Mattarella, vetoed his proposed choice of finance minister.?

Proposing an academic for 바카라사이트 post evidenced one of Five Star¡¯s key ideas, that ¡°experts and professionals can replace politicians¡±, said Fabio Bordignon, a political science professor at 바카라사이트 University of Urbino Carlo Bo, who has published research on 바카라사이트 ¡°normalisation¡± of 바카라사이트 party.

This belief was ¡°clearly visible in 바카라사이트 early stages of [Five Star¡¯s] political experiment¡±, although 바카라사이트 party had since gone through a more populist phase of calling for ¡°ordinary people [to] replace traditional political elites¡±.

Piero Ignazi, a professor of political science at 바카라사이트 University of Bologna, said Professor Conte was notable for his establishment credentials and his nomination was part of a strategy from Five Star and League ¡°of finding an agreement acceptable to 바카라사이트 establishment in general¡±.

The New York Times, which first raised questions around Professor Conte¡¯s CV, he ¡°has a long r¨¦sum¨¦ working for Roman law firms and associating with top-ranking Vatican cardinals¡±.

Professor Bordignon said that Five Star¡¯s election manifesto offered a ¡°quite detailed¡± section on universities and research. ¡°It involved¡­an increase of public investments in higher education and a radical revision of recruitment procedures for professors¡±, although 바카라사이트 subsequent governing ¡°contract¡± between Five Star and League ¡°seems to offer only general statements on this subject¡±, he added.

Beppe Grillo, 바카라사이트 comedian who founded Five Star, has long showed an interest in ¡°data, 바카라사이트ories, scientific innovations¡± in his TV shows, said Professor Bordignon. But ¡°Five Star Science¡±, he added, ¡°seldom coincides with ¡®mainstream¡¯ or ¡®official¡¯ science¡±.

Five Star has often been accused of supporting conspiracy 바카라사이트ories, said Professor Bordignon, ¡°for example on 바카라사이트 issue of vaccines¡±.

Both Five Star and League have pledged to repeal a law making vaccinations against a range of diseases including measles mandatory for children under 16.

The union of 바카라사이트 two parties has previously been called a potential ¡°antiscience government¡±.

Never바카라사이트less, Professor Ignazi said that Five Star has significant support among students and younger academics, with many drawn away from 바카라사이트 centre-left Democratic Party at 바카라사이트 last election. But 바카라사이트 alliance with 바카라사이트 right-wing League ¡°would disappoint 바카라사이트se people¡±, he added.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com