Week-end politics
Not much planned for the week-end, apart from Lynne coming round to dinner tonight.
I have a few things to do, including casting my vote at the Italian General Election (expats vote by post).
On one hand, I think I should really abstain as I am not much informed about Italian politics (I seldom look at Italian newspapers online and have never bought a single Italian paper in the last 11 years I've been in London) and find it slightly absurd to vote for a government which will have no impact on my life; on the other hand, I think I should vote as not only it is a right and a duty according to the Constitution but it could be important (at the last election, the Italians living abroad were credited/blamed for Berlusconi not getting re-elected).
This year I have been showered with letters asking for my vote from left, right and centre. All the candidates promise the moon to ex-pats. None of the letters I received mention the controversial civil partnership laws that the last Government promised but failed to deliver. Many letters stress that the candidate is married with children as if it was important. One of the candidates in Berlusconi’s party, is a director of an investment bank in London who divides his time between London, Florence and a third European city: well he won’t get my vote for sure (aren’t you busy enough, dear?).
Little has changed since the Middle Ages/Renaissance since there are as many parties as there once were city-states, permanently quarrelling and changing alliances.
For the Chamber of Deputies I have a choice of 10 parties, and 9 for the Senate. But the choice is even more bewildering in Italy as noted is this Reuters article:
Italy election symbols: from garbage to impotence - By Philip Pullella
ROME (Reuters) - From the "No Garbage" party, to the "Don't row against the tide" party, to "Dr. Cirillo's party of existentialist impotents", there will be something for everyone in Italy's general election in April.
Nearly 180 symbols of political parties, movements, lists, sub-lists, sub-parties and a myriad of other groupings were presented to the Interior Ministry by Sunday's deadline.
Amid the usual forest of symbols with shields and crosses, flags, hammers and sickles, doves, suns, trees and seas, there are some symbols that raise eyebrows more than normal.
Read the rest here
I have a few things to do, including casting my vote at the Italian General Election (expats vote by post).
On one hand, I think I should really abstain as I am not much informed about Italian politics (I seldom look at Italian newspapers online and have never bought a single Italian paper in the last 11 years I've been in London) and find it slightly absurd to vote for a government which will have no impact on my life; on the other hand, I think I should vote as not only it is a right and a duty according to the Constitution but it could be important (at the last election, the Italians living abroad were credited/blamed for Berlusconi not getting re-elected).
This year I have been showered with letters asking for my vote from left, right and centre. All the candidates promise the moon to ex-pats. None of the letters I received mention the controversial civil partnership laws that the last Government promised but failed to deliver. Many letters stress that the candidate is married with children as if it was important. One of the candidates in Berlusconi’s party, is a director of an investment bank in London who divides his time between London, Florence and a third European city: well he won’t get my vote for sure (aren’t you busy enough, dear?).
Little has changed since the Middle Ages/Renaissance since there are as many parties as there once were city-states, permanently quarrelling and changing alliances.
For the Chamber of Deputies I have a choice of 10 parties, and 9 for the Senate. But the choice is even more bewildering in Italy as noted is this Reuters article:
Italy election symbols: from garbage to impotence - By Philip Pullella
ROME (Reuters) - From the "No Garbage" party, to the "Don't row against the tide" party, to "Dr. Cirillo's party of existentialist impotents", there will be something for everyone in Italy's general election in April.
Nearly 180 symbols of political parties, movements, lists, sub-lists, sub-parties and a myriad of other groupings were presented to the Interior Ministry by Sunday's deadline.
Amid the usual forest of symbols with shields and crosses, flags, hammers and sickles, doves, suns, trees and seas, there are some symbols that raise eyebrows more than normal.
Read the rest here