Italians are 'choosy'

Elsa Fornero, the Italian Minister for Work and Pensions under the Monti Government, said during a press conference this week, that young people shouldn't be too choosy when looking for a job, especially if it's the first one.

I must say that I broadly agree with her and, writing in English for a non-Italian audience, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it. However, to say that in Italy it's probably only a bit less unpopular than admitting to like the gnamgnam style (which I hate BTW).

Although it is very true that most young people cannot find any job at the moment, let alone the DREAM job, it is also true that in Italy it's not unusual for "young" people to complete a 3-year undergraduate course in 10 years, while getting no work experience and being supported by their parents.

Facebook and Twitter are exploding with claims that she is out of touch and has no idea of what the situation is, propelled by headlines in every single media outlet where a small sentence has been taken out of context to generate headlines and create the choosygate.

Ms Fornero must have one of the most difficult jobs at the moment, being minister for Work and Pensions in a country when there's no work and no much money for pensions, to me she's doing quite a good job. The current Government is actually trying to build opportunities for young people, something that to be honest the Berlusconi Government also did very well, but only if you were young, female and willing to sleep with him with absolutely no CV (in that case you might even be made Minister of Education, Environment or Equal Opportunities).

Elsa Fornero

The shadow of Berlusconi

I have been extremely quiet on my blog recently for various reasons.

The main reason is that this blog started out of the frustration caused by the politics in Italy and especially by Berlusconi, and as he has been removed from power, in a way I had less to write about.

However, with a bit more time in my hands these days I have been wanting to start writing again, and today's news of his court appearance gave me the final push. It is sadly clear that this man has no intention to go away, and he is still fooling most of the population. Italians have a very short memory and are still fooled by his media power. Watch one day of Italian TV, and you'll see pensioners claiming that it's better to "be like him, than be a faggot", housewives justifying that "he needs a little release because he works so hard" and so on.

He still manages to bring out very strong feelings from the population, you either hate him or love him, but I'm afraid those who love him might be the majority.

With an opposition still in shambles, and his party that cannot survive without him, I can only pray that Monti stays where he is for as long as possible. Supporting somebody that has not been democratically elected goes against every principle I believe in, but when I look at what's happening in Greece I can't help but thinking that without him, Italy would be exactly in the same situation.

Berlusconi/Pinocchio: Spot the difference

If Mario Monti has been compared to Super Mario, the dwarf Silvio Berlusconi can easily be compared to Pinocchio.

I'm not just talking about the lies, but about that thing on his head his hair. Berlusconi seems to have been inspired by the famous puppet for his latest hairdo.

Berlusconi at a conference in Verona yesterday

Pinocchio, spot the difference

Welcome to Super Mario

When I started writing this blog, just over a month ago, I had no idea how things would change so quickly. Not in my wildest dreams I thought that the dwarf Berlusconi would have resigned. It was so nice to see the Italians celebrating their joy and the whole world praising his exit. The question that night was "what's gonna happen now?" and the answer was "I don't know, but it can't been worse than what it has been for the past 17 years".

President Napolitano had a key role in setting up a new Government so quickly, and Mario Monti, a man that couldn't be more far away from Berlusconi's nasty image, seems to have the skills and knowledge to be a good Prime Minister. Italians are not entirely happy (we like to complain), because this Government has not been democratically elected, but look what we have done the last time we had the chance to elect someone?

A technocratic Government is Italy best bet in my opinion at the moment. The economy has been neglected for so long, the parliament has been filled with incompetent show biz people that know nothing on how to run a country, it is finally reassuring to see people that have academic knowledge and business experience to be in charge.

People are worried because the connection of Monti et al. with the banks, but then again, that's what runs the economy and at least they will have the inside knowledge necessary to lift Italy up.

So go Super Mario go!