With Europe's eyes on independence referendums in Scotland and Catalonia, Italy's own potential breakaway states have failed to gain much attention. But separatists in Venice - and other parts of Italy - have the wind in their sails, as Angela Giuffrida reports.
For many foreigners, Italy seems to have a strong, unified identity. But its language, food culture, religion and history often blind the outsider to the fact that many Italians themselves fail to identify with the Italian state - and many are so disillusioned that they would like to break away from it altogether.
The polls tell their own story: an unofficial online referendum in Veneto - the region around Venice - saw 89 percent vote for separation from Italy. Two opinion polls in March put support for independence at 51 and 54 percent. Compare this to Scotland, where not a single poll has shown a majority for separation from the UK, and the seriousness of the challenge for Italy becomes clear. And the Venetians are not alone - Lombardy, Sicily and Sardinia all have significant independence movements.
Despite this, many ordinary people in other parts of Italy are dismissive about the various regions' pushes for independence.
“It’s all talk, talk, talk,” Massimo, who lives in Rome and works for a telecoms firm, tells The Local.
“We’ve seen it all before, especially in times of crisis, and especially with the Venetians: they seem to forget how much the rest of Italy actually helps them."
Giovanni, an engineer from the northern Italian city of Padua, agrees: “It’s totally crazy, but it’s always been the same in Italy.”
But despite facing this kind of scepticism, those pushing for independence believe they have a solid case.
In Sardinia, which has one of the highest unemployment rates in Italy, people are so disillusioned that some are only half-jokingly demanding to be made part of Switzerland, while last week Sicilian campaigners, waving banners in solidarity with their separatist counterparts, marched for independence in Palermo.
The separatists have so far been peaceful, although events in Venice almost took a violent turn last Wednesday when 24 activists allegedly plotted to ‘liberate’ St Mark’s Square with a homemade tank.
Italy only became a united country in 1861, and regional identities have remained strong ever since. Now, the lacklustre economy and huge public debt have combined with unease at the appointment of a second unelected government to further undermine the Italian state's credibility. This has given moves for regional independence fresh impetus, Giovanni Roversi, who heads up Pro Lombardy Independence, tells The Local.
“Matteo Renzi [Italy’s new prime minister], is like all the others,” he says.
“He didn’t get voted in…and I don’t think he’ll do much. The change of government has made us even more determined to take this forward.”
A similar vote to the one in Veneto is planned in Lombardy, although a date is yet to be set.
People have had enough of public money being wasted, Roversi says.
“The main problem is that Lombardy pays much more tax compared to other regions and it doesn’t get the services to match.”
Ironically, he says some of the fiercest opponents of independence are the region’s politicians. Last week, 64 regional councillors were accused of squandering €2.14 million worth of public funds on everything from premium wine and caviar to jars of Nutella and placing bets.
Post a Comment