Italian News Digest: Chinese Infrastructure Agreement, Splits in the Government, Immunization, Extradition of Militants, Anti-Mafia Protests

Chinese Infrastructure Agreement Signing

Italy has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Communist Chinese Government for the latter’s New Silk Road plan to improve trade infrastructure in Eurasia and Africa, despite American and European Union warnings.  Italy won some trade and other concessions from China.  The United States was concerned about Chinese espionage and the EU about unilateral instead of collective decisions on major external issues.  In response to U.S. concerns, the Italian Government plans to deny China access to its telecommunications systems as a safeguard.  Italian President Sergio Mattarella raised the concern about human rights in China, calling for constructive dialogue.

Splits in the Coalition Government

As there are on a number of issues, there was a split on the Chinese initiative in the coalition government between the populist anti-establishment party and the far-right anti-immigrant party.  Governments in Italy, which are always by coalition, are usually unstable.  This unusual pairing is especially.

Immunization

The Government maintained the mandatory immunization policy on schedule for schoolchildren, despite opposition from the far-right junior coalition partner.  Despite the effectiveness and safety of vaccination, there is cynical populist opposition from both the far left and far right, often supported by disinformation from the Russian Federation regime of tyrant Vladimir Putin.  The lack of vaccination poses a particular threat to those who are immuno-compromised and has caused outbreaks of diseases in Western Europe and the American States that had nearly been eradicated.

Extradition of Militants

Italy convinced the European Parliament last week to agree that Nicaragua should extradite a Red Brigade militant involved in the kidnapping and killing of former Christian Democratic Prime Minister Aldo Moro in 1978.  The left-wing murderer owns a restaurant in the Marxist-led state.  The Italian Government continues to press France to extradite militants who were responsible for many deaths during the “Years of Lead” of the 1970s-1980s, a period of far-left and far-right terrorism and militancy.  A plurality of the around 30 militant fugitives are harbored in France.  Last month, Bolivia extradited a far-left militant who had killed four people, after fleeing from Brazilian authorities.  This killer, too, had been harbored in France, where he had become a crime novelist.  The Socialist French Government of the 1980s had a policy of harboring militants.

Anti-Mafia Protests

           There were anti-mafia protests across Italy last week, centered in the northern Italian city of Padua, where tens of thousands demonstrated.  The mafias are based in the South, but have a presence in northern Italy, as well as internationally, and their crimes, such as drug trafficking, harm Italians across Italy and undermine Italy’s economy and discourage business investment.