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By the spring of 1998, it had become clear that Italy, after considerable effort, had succeeded in bringing its public finances into line with the Maastricht parameters for joining the European Monetary Union. This was generally viewed as an important success of the Olive Tree coalition government led by Romano Prodi, and a sign that Italian political life had become "normal." Nevertheless, the Bicameral Commission, which should have fostered a radical consitutional reform with the aim to stabilize and strengthen the bipolar structure of the party system and the majoritarian functioning of democracy in Italy, was dismantled in June. Moreover, in October 1998 the Prodi government suddenly collapsed because of the internal opposition of the Neo-Communist wing of its parliamentary majority, a further demonstration that the Italian transition towards a more effective democratic rule is far from complete.
Party Acronyms used in the Text Chronology of Italian Political Events, 1998
Introduction: One Step towards Europe, Two Steps back from Institutional Reform David Hine and Salvatore Vassallo
Chapter 1. The Two Lefts: Between Rupture and Recomposition Oreste Massari and Simon Parker Chapter 2. The Parties of the Polo: United to What End? Marco Tarchi and Emanuela Poli Chapter 3. Re-assembling the Centre and the Electoral Spectrum Renato Mannheimer and Giacomo Sani Chapter 4. A Postmortem of the Bicamerale Gianfranco Pasquino Chapter 5. From the Prodi Government to the D'Alema Government: Continuity or Discontinuity? Sergio Fabbrini Chapter 6. The Bassanini Laws: A Half-Way House in Local Government Reform Mark Gilbert Chapter 7. Changes to the Italian Budgetary Regime: The Reforms of Law no. 94/1997 David Felsen Chapter 8. Drafting the 1998 Legislation on Immigration: A Test of Government Cohesion David Hine Chapter 9. Finance between Market and Politics Giacomo Vaciago Chapter 10. Malpensa 2000 David Hine
Documentary Appendix Compiled by Marzia Zannini
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