Not a lot of people know this - Francesco Rutelli

February 24, 2008 · Filed Under Italian politics · 6 Comments 

Apparently, Francesco Rutelli, the present Italian Cultural Affairs minister, once replaced the Italian flag which flew at Palazzo Montecitorio with that of the Vatican. I have not been able to discover in exactly which year Rutelli did this mischievous act, but it was interesting to hear about it from my former wannabe Italian politician student.

At the time of this act, which was a direct protest against the influence that the Vatican exerts on Italian politics, Francesco Rutelli was a member of a radical political party. In another radical incident, he also spent a short time behind bars after having very publicly smoked a joint, which he inhaled.

Alas it now seems that the formerly radical Rutelli has become absorbed into the repetitive instability that is mainstream politics in the Living Museum, and it is highly doubtful that he will carry out such an overt protest ever again. I suppose you could say that Rutelli has fallen upwards.

Actually, I understand that Rutelli is proposing himself as a candidate for Walter Veltroni’s former post, that of Mayor of the Eternal City. Interestingly, Rutelli has already been the Mayor of Rome, and preceded Veltroni.

In a country which regularly shies away from the new, the regurgitated Rutelli may well be in with a pretty good chance of being elected Mayor of Rome yet again.

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The Future is Young, and it is Bright

January 29, 2008 · Filed Under Italians · Comment 

While mud is being slung around by Italy’s power hungry politicians, and the country is being done down by those from abroad, in another trend bucking post, I want to focus once more on a positive side to this berated land.

That something represents the future of this place, and, from what I’ve been seeing over the years as a result of my work with one of Italy’s largest business schools, that something potentially puts quite a shine on how Italy could be in a few years from now.

Ok, ok, I imagine that you want to know just what that something is.  So here is the answer: The country’s youth.

Working were I do, I get to see plenty of up and coming stars, and I have quite a plethora of success stories to tell, and those are only about the people I’ve managed to remain in touch with.  From what I’ve seen there is a heck of a lot of potential, and, if exploited properly, Italy could really benefit from this sea of talent.  These kids are a nice bunch too.

Yes, I know that many of those I see come from quite well heeled families, but not all do.  Some come from rather more humble beginnings.

What a difference in attitude from the UK, where there are still quite a number of heads of families that are anti-education.  The ‘I was a factory worker, so you will be a factory worker’ mentality. 

In Italy the attitude is much more ‘I was a factory worker, but you can become a doctor, a lawyer - and I’ll be proud of you’.  This alone, gives Italy plenty of hope for the future.

I think Italy must be quite full of proud parents, in fact it could quite possibly possess some of the proudest parents on earth.

Give these youngsters enough room and they will sort this old country out.

Young new faces are, quite literally, all that the Living Museum needs.

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Turning Round La Brutta Figura

January 21, 2008 · Filed Under Life in Italy · 3 Comments 

Italy is a very image conscious country - just wander down any Italian street and you will see beautiful shops and elegantly dressed passers by. The places and people are examples of ‘la bella figura’ - which means ‘creating the right impression’. The opposite of the ‘bella’ version is ‘la brutta figura’, which is similar in concept to the French ‘faux pas’, only in Italian culture ‘la brutta figura’ is somewhat worse than its French equivalent. In the eyes of the world Italy is one making big brutta figura at the moment, thanks in no small part to recent articles in internationally read newspapers.

While some dismiss these articles as foreign interference, many of the people I know, would not disagree that things are not going all too well in the land of pizza and Ferrari. These people are aware of Italy’s brutta figura, and it is embarrassing. However, there is the possibility that the embarrassment that these mischievous articles have generated may actually help reverse the downward slide which is occurring in the Living Museum. Two changes would make a noticeable difference. First, the electoral laws need to be properly reformed, and second all that is needed is quite simply a few new faces in Italian politics, and, possibly, the forthcoming collapse of the Prodi government may just provoke someone who can bring about such change into Italian politics.

That someone is the present head of Ferrari and the Italian employers’ federation chairman Luca di Montezemolo, and there are rumours that once his presidency at the federation ends he will enter politics. Heck, I really hope so. He would be something of a breath of fresh air in Italy, and he certainly has the management skills necessary to put together the right team and thus get down to sorting things out. Whether he will be able to navigate the veritable ocean of vested interests is another question, but seems to have done OK at Ferrari and Fiat, both of which are quintessentially Italian companies, warts, vested interests, and all. So it sounds as though he may stand a sporting chance.
The slight fly in the ointment, or so it would seem, is that Prodi’s band of brothers has collapsed a short time before Montezemolo managed to enter the scene . However, all may not be lost, because you see, the next elections will result in the same old unloved but familiar faces gaining power, and this will further lower the Italian populace’s esteem in those who purport to lead them. Enter stage right Montezemolo and, with a little luck some electoral reform will be carried out, he will sweep the field, and his mere presence may well give the majority of Italians the impression that there is still a ray of hope shining through what has been becoming an ever more overcast sky.

And, never fear, if Montezemolo really does manage to get the Italian ball rolling once more, there are more than enough talented Italians to keep it rolling in the right direction. This I know, I am lucky enough to teach plenty of them. And the frustration that has built up in such people is, at the same time, serving to stoke the fires of ambition, and, in the not too distant future the flames emitted by these people will reduce the old and ineffective to mere ashes.

La brutta figura will lead to la bella figura, or, as we say in English ‘every cloud has a silver lining’. Just you wait and see.

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