Portable Citizenship/Flexible Allegiance
Well yes, Italian politics is kind of interesting, is it not? Not a staid institution, the Italian Parliament, at any time. And hasn't Italy been (in)famous for the short length of its parliaments in any event? Hasn't it been par for the course to change Prime Ministers seemingly at a moment's notice? Talk about a fractionalized society reflected in a ruling congress always on the move...! But then Italians don't seem to take themselves or their politicians too seriously, although they do seem to love politicking.Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been entertaining Italy and the world for quite a long time (in the time/warp of Italian politics) with his preening vanity, his successful flirtation with ethics, and his unaccustomedly-long rule. Italians seem to have enjoyed a love/hate relationship with their billionaire media mogul Prime Minister who has provided them with scandals aplenty. And now, after an election that really split the electorate, Mr. Berlosconi continues to entertain, refusing to concede to Romano Prodi's squeak-of-a-win. Great theatrics, but would one expect less from someone who compares himself variously to Julius Caesar and Jesus Christ?
But hold on a minute, now. A new Italian law created four electoral districts meant to represent Italians living abroad, for twelve seats in the Chamber of Deputies and six seats in the Senate? How's that for a new take on the home country's unwillingness to sever ties with expatriate sons and daughters? Of course those same sons and daughters are equally unwilling to cut the umbilical since it is they who have been busily prodding the political system for decades to grant them a recognized political voice.
All right, we can accept that you prefer to live elsewhere because you're sick of Italian politics, because you prefer to raise your children elsewhere, because you fear the Mafia, because you don't like Italian taxation rates, because you see a rosier economic future in other countries, but look here, how about helping us to run this country you've just rejected for another?
That's certainly different, all right. Why live in another country then? It wouldn't strike you as a trifle er, interfering, or presumptuous, or just plain whacky to live abroad as a citizen of another country, yet to represent yourself and other expatriates on the political stage, (all of whom have left for greener pastures, deploring the country's weak economic status; in effect rejecting the country of origin) through electoral participation, in the country you've left?
So then, in the tipsy-topsy world of Italian politics we have a Dr. Gino Bucchino of Toronto reepresenting Romano Prodi's centre-left Union coalition, winning one of the two deputies' seats representing North and Central America. The second deputy seat now represented by Salvatore Ferrigno of the United States, while Renato Turano, an American actor is elected to the North American Senate seat for Mr. Prodi's coalition. An odd form of governance, embracing those who have left the homeland, and therefore, presumably know slightly less intimately the country's needs.
Wow, a new world community of electors and politicians. Will this be the brilliant social device which will eventually bring the world together under one biddable organization?
Viva Italy!
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, April 15, 2006
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