Agnelli’s fate hangs in the balance

Date: 08/02/1996

By Rory Watson

SPECULATION is growing over the future of Italy's Foreign Minister Susanna Agnelli as Prime Minister-designate Antonio Maccanico attempts to put together the country's 55th post World War Two government.

Agnelli has spearheaded Italy's EU presidency since 1 January, but may be moved from her post if Maccanico decides to give his predecessor as Italian premier, Lamberto Dini, a senior post in the new team.

The presence of either Dini or Agnelli in the new government would guarantee a certain continuity in Italy's relations with its EU partners after the political turmoil of recent weeks, which came to a head when Dini resigned as prime minister on 11 January after the Italian parliament made it clear that he could no longer command a majority.

Dini's allies believe the former prime minister should be given a place in the new line-up, although the hard-right leader Gianfranco Fini has made it clear he is opposed to such an appointment.

As the political wheeling and dealing continues in Rome, Agnelli's fate should become clear before EU foreign ministers next meet in Brussels on 26 February.

It is widely acknowledged that any further delay in deciding the identity of the new government's foreign minister would seriously jeopardise preparations for the opening of the Intergovernmental Conference just four weeks later.

Maccanico, a 71-year-old veteran political-fixer, made his reputation as a behind-the-scenes power broker after running Carlo Ciampi's private office when he was prime minister and serving as minister of institutional reforms.

His EU credentials go back to 1975, when he chaired an ad hoc committee examining the practicalities of direct elections to the European Parliament. Maccanico has already signalled his intention to ensure Italy's monetary policy remains in the EU mainstream by confirming he wants to return the lira to the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

A week of discussions between Maccanico and business, trade union and political leaders have indicated initial support for his efforts across much of the Italian political spectrum and EU diplomats hope his appointment will bring some much-needed stability to the country and its relations with the Union.

“If this appointment means that there will be no further changes in the Italian leadership or elections for the remainder of their presidency, then I think that most people will welcome that element of continuity,” said one Brussels-based diplomat this week.

The challenge facing Maccanico in forming a government is not made any easier by the need to walk a tightrope between Italy's different political parties, with several of them pressing for places in his cabinet. He will also have to decide on the fate of the technocrats who served in the outgoing Dini administration and have become increasingly familiar with EU business.

The size of the task ahead in bridging Italy's political divide became clear this week when centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi suggested two deputy prime ministers be appointed to represent the two distinct sides in Italy's parliament.

Asked about the scheme, Maccanico replied: “What deputy prime ministers? I am not even talking about structure. I have still got to work out whether we can form a government.”

He also faces the challenge of drawing up a programme of daily business which can win parliamentary support, while planning wider-ranging institutional reform which could usher in a semi-presidential system of government.