What is Italexit? Will Italy be next to leave the EU?
AFTER the landmark Brexit victory, calls are mounting for Italy to hold its own EU referendum. Could Italy be next to leave?
What is Italexit?
Some anti-EU voices are campaigning for an Italian exit – or Italexit – as the country prepares for a historic referendum on constitutional reform.
The Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has promised to resign if the reforms do not go through, which could pave the way for the Eurosceptic Five Star Movement (M5S) to seize power.
Founded by radical comedian Beppe Grillo, the right-wing M5S party has rallied against the crumbling euro and has demanded a repeal of EU interference in Italy.
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M5S frontman Beppe Grillo has demanded a repeal of EU interference in Italy
Instead, it is campaigning for Brussels drop its federalist aspirations and return to its original vision of a European community.
After the Brexit vote, M5S said: “We want a Europe which is a ‘community’ and not a union of banks and lobbies.
The right-wing Northern League has pledged to take Italy out of the EU but it has little political power and is only supported by 12.4 per cent of voters.
“Thank you Great Britain, next it is our turn,” party leader Matteo Salvini said in the wake of the Brexit vote.
ANTI-EU PARTIES MAPPED
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Mr Maio, an M5S politician, said: ‘The euro today does not work’
Will Italy leave the Euro?
The Eurosceptic MS5 has pledged to call a “consultative referendum” on Italy’s involvement in the euro if seizes power at the next election.
Luigi Di Maio, M5S politician and the deputy speaker of the Italian parliament, says the EU “has decided to abdicate from its role of protecting the internal market and protecting its citizens.”
The party has proposed either a return to the Italian lira or radical reform of the single currency. Mr Maio has said: “The euro as it is today does not work.”
Would the Italians vote to leave the EU?
In an Ipsos Mori poll conducted after the UK’s referendum in June, 44 per cent of of Italians said they believe the Government should call a referendum on EU membership
In a European Commission poll in November 2015, just 40 per cent of Italians said that EU membership was good for their country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI6DfV2FJJ8
This is in contrast to a separate poll conducted by Ipsos before the Brexit result, which suggested that almost half of Italians were ready to leave the EU.
