Bosco, A. & Verney, S. (2013) “Living Parallel Lives: Italy and Greece in an Age of Austerity“, South European Society and Politics, Vol. 18, Issue 4, Available online: 12 February 2014.
The economic crisis has triggered a process of political convergence between Italy and Greece. The simultaneous downfall of the Italian and Greek governments, following the public withdrawal of European confidence in their ability to handle the crisis, was followed by the establishment of technocrat-led governments based on parliamentary ‘super-majorities’ and then by ‘protest elections’, marked by unprecedented levels of electoral volatility. By apparently ending bipolarism, the crisis has completely changed patterns of national government formation and resulted in experiments with unusual government types. Both political systems have entered a transitional phase whose outcome is anything but certain, especially in the continuing context of economic crisis.
Relevant posts:
- Conti, N. (ed.) (2014) “Party Attitudes towards the EU in the Member States – Parties for Europe, Parties against Europe“, Routledge Advances in European Politics, Routledge Publications: United Kingdom.
- Ballabriga, F. (2014) “Euro Zone Crisis: Diagnosis and Likely Solutions”, ESADEgeo POSITION PAPER 35, February.
- Oxfam (2013) “A Cautionary Tale: The true cost of austerity and inequality in Europe”, Oxfam Briefing Paper, 12 September.