Growing number of Italians dissatisfied with EU
A survey by online daily Affaritaliani shows that an increasing number of Italians are profoundly dissatisfied with the European Union and the European institutions.
According to Affaritaliani, about 65% of those surveyed said that the European Union is hindering Italy's socioeconomic growth and capacity to respond to successive crises that have affected Italy and other European countries over the past years.
In less than two decades, Italy has swung from being one of the most pro-European countries to one of the least
Italian hostility towards the EU is quite understandable. Let me be drastic for a minute.
The EU actually no longer exists.
Not only Europe is a militarized NATO entity today. Rather, it has brought about great socio-economic discontent, impoverishing our population by cutting down wages, slashing pensions, favoring job insecurity.
Giovanni Russo Spena, Academic and Political Activist
Italy had overtaken the United Kingdom and France in per capita, purchasing power before adopting the euro currency.
In 2000, Italy's average standard of living was virtually equal to that of Germany.
But after joining the single currency, in just a few years, the country fell behind the UK and France once more.
By 2019, Italian per capita income was more than 20% below that of Germany.
The European Union has been viewed with skepticism, even hostility, by a growing number of Italians since the adoption of the euro in 1999.
The skepticism has increased to such an extent that a majority of voters would vote in favor of leaving the bloc if a referendum on EU membership were to be held in Italy.
The EU has serious problems. The most serious one is the way globalization has impacted the Europeans financially. The lack of control by the EU on financial institutions has triggered even more inequalities, with the richest getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
Member of Public 01
EU policies do not work for block members. Policies should be diversified.
For instance, Italy should have a specific agricultural policy, considering its weakness in wheat. We import wheat from abroad instead.
Member of Public 02
The survey has also shown that six Italians out of 10 are unhappy with Ursula von der Leyen being confirmed as the head of the European Commission; the German diplomat is seen by many as a far too belligerent leader.
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