Giuseppe Lenzo

Giuseppe Lenzo has an MA in International Relations from the School of Government and International Affairs, Durham University (UK). He has joined and arranged EU-funded international projects and he has also been educated in Italy and Spain. He has published commentaries about Italian politics and European affairs on university papers, online magazines and blogs in the UK and Italy.

An Italian election race between bank scandals and ambitious pledges

If they are anything like what has happened so far, we can expect the last two weeks before the Italian elections to be eventful, and full of surprises.

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 15 Feb 2013

2013 Italy elections: no winner, only losers

The run-up to the next national elections in Italy (to be held on 24/25 February) is marked by two trends that have already troubled the country's political life in the past years: fragmentation and political instability.

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 22 Jan 2013

The Sicilian blow to Italian politics

Nearly 20 percent of Sicily’s electorate voted for Beppe Grillo’s Five Star Movement (M5S) – an alternative “clean hands” party that has recently gained momentum in Italian politics. Their candidate, the comedian and blogger Giancarlo Cancelleri, seduced Sicilian voters with a fresh - and anti-est

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 12 Nov 2012

They all want Monti longer... because they all fear Beppe Grillo's revolution!

In Italy, a consensus is slowly building around a second term for Mario Monti's technocratic government – but could this have less to do with national unity in economically difficult times than with political elites in a last-ditch defence against the threat of Beppe Grillo's populism?

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 5 Oct 2012

"Italy needs to fail if it wants a better future"

While Mario Monti's government is trying to keep Italy in the Eurozone, Italians show a new interest in political outsiders. The most popular of them, Beppe Grillo, is a 64 years old comedian and activist who wants to shake things up in the Repubblica

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 15 Aug 2012

The land of lottizzazione and poltrone

Even as the European crisis intensifies, clientelism and corruption continue to dampen Italy’s prospects for development.

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 19 Jun 2012

Dear Mr. Monti

You have a huge opportunity on your hands: responsibility and social justice can be brought back into the Italian system with sacrifice and good governance. Tackling political salaries and the duopoly of the television networks would be a good start

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 11 Jan 2012

Italy: faltering legitimacy at the heart of Europe

As Silvio Berlusconi wins another confidence vote to implement austerity measures within a faltering government, his winning slogan, – ‘don't let Government dip its hands in Italian pockets’ – has caved in. There is no plausible replacement strategy.

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 15 Sep 2011

Beppe Grillo, biggest shake-up in today’s Italy

Beppe Grillo is by far the most original phenomenon of Italy’s immobile and inefficient politics. His personal biography is as compelling as the political ideas he propagates through his blog - the ninth most visited worldwide

By Giuseppe Lenzo

/ 4 Jul 2011