Although Austria bucked the trend by rejecting the “populist” and “hard right” candidate in their presidential election, which came as no great surprise, given their history, Italy delivered a blow that has seen off their premier.
Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has resigned after suffering a heavy defeat in a referendum over his plan to reform the constitution.
In a late-night news conference, he said he took responsibility for the outcome, and said the No camp must now make clear proposals.
With most ballots counted, the No vote leads with 60% against 40% for Yes.
The turnout was nearly 70%, in a vote that was seen as a chance to register discontent with the prime minister.
So what does that mean? One of the founding members of the EU is in crisis. France is facing a presidential run-off with Marine Le Pen and Merkel could yet be defeated in the German elections next year. Did Brexit really kick-start the avalanche? Are we seeing one? Is the EU about to implode in on itself?
Italy wakes up on Monday to the threat of a banking crisis, political turmoil, and a group of anti-establishment populists banging on the doors of government. Eurozone beware and EU be warned. Italy is the euro currency’s third largest economy and it’s in for a bumpy ride. And there are more unpredictable votes to come in 2017: in France, Germany, the Netherlands and perhaps here in Italy too.
Maybe when we voted to leave, we kicked over an anthill. Things could get very interesting around here. And what will the remoaners do if there is no EU to belong to after all?
And what will the remoaners do if there is no EU to belong to after all?
Form a new EU?
I used to read Dr. Richard North’s blog. Then I got fed up with his constant “I’m right and everyone else, especially UKIP, is wrong” line and the fact that although he wanted to leave the EU he had ‘gone native’ and wanted to replace it with something else which quacked like the EU duck.