All the major parties have stressed, during this election campaign, that Italy faces huge challenges ushered in by globalisation. The way to confront this differs, depending upon your political persuasion, but the challenge can’t be ignored.
Lucky for Italy that they have some of the most up-to-date and competitive entrepreneurs in the world. One sector, more than any other, has flourished in the global and domestic market over the last fifteen years (under both right and left governments): organised crime. It’s been estimated that the Mafia, for example, is worth roughly 90billion euro – or 7% of Italy’s GDP.[1]
Crime C.E.Os have managed this impressive feat with hard negotiating tactics, strategic alliances, and a keen understanding of the global markets.
A perfect example is coming to light in this election campaign. Calabrian outfit the ‘ndranghetta, envisioning a commodity shortage in Italy, have apparently sourced material in far-flung Venezuela.
The commodity? You guessed it – votes. An investigation is ongoing regarding efforts by the ‘ndranghetta to sell votes from abroad to decide the Calabrian part of the election. An Italian businessman was heard, via intercepted telephone calls, offering 50 thousand votes for 200 thousand euro.
In today’s papers a leading member of Berlusconi’s Pdl, Marcello Dell’Utri admitted putting Aldo Micciché in touch directly with the Pdl candidate Barbara Contini in Reggio Calabria (ex governor of Nassirya, in the bright, bold, and democratically liberated Iraq), but denied any wrongdoing[2].
Dell’Utri, an outgoing senator of Forza Italia, is currently appealing a conviction for collusion with the mafia. It was Berlusconi’s centre-right coalition that introduced the difficult to manage resident-abroad vote. No surprise, given their committment to the free market, and supporting Italy’s biggest businesses (not just Alitalia).
What’s not apparent from any of this, though, is how prices differ in the global and national markets. For example, how much is a vote from a Calabrian resident in Calabria worth, as opposed to a Calabrian resident in Venezuela.
[1]”la mafia e’ la prima azienda italiana’ – Corriere della Sera (22/10/2007)
[2]’La ‘ndrangheta traffica in voti’ – Corriere della Sera [12/04/2008]