The Italian Banks’ Bail-out: A Deafening Silence

What are the main lessons from the Italian bail-out of the two Veneto region’s banks ? At the European level, the bail-out is a nail in the coffin of the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD), as it shows that European rules for protecting tax-payers can be easily circumvented. It creates a precedent that does not […]

Proportional Rules and Troika Risk

In a December 2016 post I discussed the likelihood of Italy falling back into chaotic political instability, capital flights, rising bond spreads and bank runs (TROIKA scenario). I argued that much would depend how the Gentiloni government would manage the hot potato of the new electoral rules, the troika scenario being more likely if  a proportional system […]

L’Europa a 5 Stelle

In occasione delle celebrazioni per il 60 anno dalla firma del trattato di Roma di fondazione della Comunità Europea il Movimento 5 Stelle  ha pubblicato il Libro a 5 Stelle dei Cittadini per l’Europa . Questo contiene il progetto con cui il Movimento intende “cambiare radicalmente le politiche europee” . Il documento è di agevole lettura: escludendo gli […]

The “Troika Risk” and Democratic Party Break-up

The gloomy saga of Renzi’s Democratic Party (PD) is slowly but inexorably ending in a split. While it is not easy to resist the temptation to shrug this off is as yet another pathetic episode of the long history of the party’s obsessive masochism, the possible economic consequences of the “schism” should not be underestimated. […]

The Unkind Future of Mr Kind (Gentiloni)

Mr Gentiloni (Mr Kind), the newly sworn in Italian Prime Minister,  is a well respected former journalist and experienced politician. Yet, despite his name, he will likely oversee to a period of turbulent political and economic tensions. I give the TROIKA scenario , defined by high political instability, capital flights, rising bonds spread and possible […]

What Happens if the Yes Wins at the Referendum

Most national and international observers have focused on the domestic and international consequences of  a possible NO victory, currently leading in the polls,  in the Referendum on Constitutional reforms, next Sunday. The list features: political instability, a possible resignation of Renzi to be replaced by a transitional “technocratic” government and leading to new elections, a […]

Lunedì Incontro su Brexit all’Università Cattolica

Lunedì 21 novembre 2016 Cripta Aula Magna, ore 15.00 Largo A. Gemelli, 1 – Milano Presentazione del Rapporto OSSERVATORIO MONETARIO N. 3/2016 BREXIT Introduce e coordina i lavori Marco LOSSANI, Direttore LAM, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Intervengono Angelo BAGLIONI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Fiorenzo DI PASQUALI, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore Paolo MANASSE, […]

Renmenthal: Le Slides di Bilancio con i Buchi

Brutta genìa, gli economisti. Appena ti sparano dei numeri, ti prende l’irresistibile compulsione di fare somme e sottrazioni per vedere se i conti tornano (se le cifre, come si dice in inglese, “add up”). Le slides presentate dal Primo Ministro, sono, sotto questo profilo, molto , molto lacunose: presentano conti che non tornano (si spera […]