The “Angry Ones” of the Northern League

If the double defeat in local elections and in referendums fuelled doubts about whether the Berlusconi government could hang onto its majority, the annual meeting of the Northern League in Pontida, near Bergamo, has confirmed that crisis is shaking the coalition. League activists have challenged the alliance with Berlusconi, and party leaders are setting a high price for their continued support, demanding the transfer of some ministries to the north, cuts in taxes and withdrawal from the conflict in Libya. Italy, notes the Corriere della Sera, is beginning to join in with the challenges to austerity and military action that are spreading across Europe. Columnist Antonio Polito compares “the green Pontida crowd” to “the angry Greeks,” adding that “what brings us closer to Greece is that if we crash, if we help to break up Europe and the euro, we’ll be losers too.” On June 21, Berlusconi is scheduled to negotiate with his allies in an attempt to ensure that his parliamentary majority still exists. Meanwhile, notes La Repubblica, the credit agency Moody's is threatening to cut the rating of many key Italian assets.