#Renzi: bowing to graves

The lay of a wreath to Altiero Spinelli tomb during German Chancellor Angela Merkel visit to Italy does not signal any willingness for change of the direction of the #EU27 policy, which already has resulted in the UK break away this very summer. The traditional recipe of throw back to origins and ‘more Europe’ still is seen as a universal remedy. However there is a substantial divergence in interpretation of the EU founding-fathers legacy.

A new ‘political season’ opened on Monday (23/08/2016) this week with a meeting of leaders of Germany and France in Italy, which is risking to become next ‘Greece’ of the #EU. The event was heavily overloaded by symbolic ceremonies, including the bow to Spinelli grave. The progression of idolatry has its reasons in the eroding European project.
The Italian economy hasn’t seen much of growth after entering of the Eurozone last millennium(1999), the problem continuously blamed to an absence of financial flexibility as a major constraint. With the help of his ‘comrade’ French Socialist president Hollande and Spinelli’s federalist legacy at his side, Renzi should have tried hard to convince Merkel to change her views on austerity, due to aggravating situation in Italian banking sector.
Crowded with uncountable branches of 600 banks with a gap of 40 billion euro, Italians invested hopes in Socialists, elected upon a promise to resolve the financial problem, but they have not achieved much so far. Many experts see #Brexit as an ace up Renzi’s sleeve in his talks with Germany as a major EU lender to weaker member-states, however no one has overplayed Merkel in her austerity so far.
Bow to grave of Altiero Spinelli – an Italian intellectual, entering political scene as a Communist, and coming down to history as a passionate European federalist, one of the founding fathers of the #EU, – symbolises Italian loyalty to its European engagement. Referring to Spinelli’s ideas might well reflect the intentions of Renzi to turn to ‘soft power’ and appeal to EU glorious past, while no other argument worked.
In vain, the EU project of founding fathers has mutated beyond imaginary,Spinelli might not have recognised it if Resurrected. There is no certainty he would approve to remain at any cost for his people, suffering not only imposed austerity, but tsunami of migrants from Africa, and highly unpopular sanctions against Russia, hitting the agriculture.
Further the upcoming Constitutional referendum foreseen this fall might seriously weaken position of Rezni as prime-minister is case the citizens will reject his package of reforms, the twist that might lead to chain reaction of down spiral of Italian economy beyond control, and questions a perspective for Renzi to remain at lead. In this case #Itexit definitely makes sense.
“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image!”