Description
Book Synopsis The year 2006 was by all means an "election" year: a significant proportion of voters were called to the polls three times. In at least two - the parliamentary elections of 9-10 April and the 25-26 June constitutional referendum - the voters' choices had extraordinary consequences. The parliamentary elections awarded victory to the center-left by the slimmest of margins, yet ushered in a radical change in government, whereas the referendum saw the rejection of the substantial revision of the Constitution that had been promoted by the previous center-right government. This volume deals with these elections and their effects, namely the changes in the government majority and the Presidency of the Republic, as well as the center-right's unsuccessful attempt at revenge in local elections through the constitutional referendum, both resulting in wide-ranging changes introduced by the new majority in foreign policy. Other significant events are also examined, such as the Russian natural gas crisis; the anti-high speed train movement; the capture of mafia don Bernardo Provenzano; the scandals that marred the world soccer in the year the national team won the World Cup; and the suspicious dealings involving telecommunications giant Telecom.
Table of Contents Introduction:The Center-Left’s Poisoned Victory
Jean-Louis Briquet and Alfio Mastropaolo
Chapter 1. The General Election of 9–10 April: A Country Divided in Half or in Lots of Different Pieces?
Ilvo Diamanti and Salvatore Vassallo
Chapter 2. Eviction Canceled: The 2006 Local Elections
Duncan McDonnell
Chapter 3. The Constitutional Referendum of June 2006: End of the “Great Reform” but Not of Reform Itself
Martin J. Bull
Chapter 4. From Ciampi to Napolitano
Marie-Claire Ponthoreau and Hervé Rayner
Chapter 5. The New Government and the Spoils System
Annarita Criscitiello
Chapter 6. The Israeli-Lebanese War: Italy and the Recasting of an Effective Multilateralism
Anna Caffarena
Chapter 7. Decision-Making in the Val di Susa Case: Too Rigid or Too Soft?
Luigi Bobbio
Chapter 8. Telecom Italia: The Parallel Returns (1997–2006)
Massimo Florio
Chapter 9. Energy Policy in Italy: Contingent Emergency and Structural Weakness
Alberto Clò
Chapter 10. Calciopoli: Reasons and Scenarios for the Soccer Scandal
Alessandro Baroncelli
Chapter 11. The Capture of Bernardo Provenzano
Salvatore Lupo
Documentary Appendix
Compiled by Debora Mantovani
