Italy was rocked by violent protests on Friday, as demonstrations were met by riot police and strikes hit the beleaguered economy.
The uproar was fuelled by pent-up rage over the unabated economic crisis and entrenched unemployment which has ensnared 42% of the country’s young people.
Anger was taken out on refugees and economic migrants who were frequently blamed for the poor state of the economy. One refugee centre in a poor area of Rome was repeatedly attacked by local residents throughout the whole week.
A group of 36 teenage migrants had to be evacuated from the centre in a working-class suburb on Thursday night after the authorities said the area was no longer safe for them. Locals had been hurling stones, flares and other missiles at their centre, smashing windows and setting rubbish bins alight during several nights of violence.
Students and trade unionists clashed with riot police in Milan and Padua. Rome witnessed huge demonstrations, with fire crackers being thrown at the economy minister. Demonstrations also took place in Turin, Naples and Genoa.
Adding to the chaos were transport strikes, which disrupted buses, trams, trains and even flights at Rome's Fiumicino airport.
Comments
And in the meantime "say we are all in this together" , while increasing personal wealth for the elite from 30 to 60 percent more than pre crisis levels.
On paper the EU works , but it needs teeth ready for for those that have not followed the plan Like Portugal , Greece , Spain and Italy.
Exports leaving the Country should be banned to other EU nations , for those not following the plan , Fines arent working , Protectionism of internal markets are still ongoing , corruption is now daily news in PT but convictions well thats another matter.
Then tackle head on that France and Germany want their slice of anything transiting from outside of them , through them , even from in the EU with stealth taxes like tolls increasing costs.The Eu is funding France and German motorways by stealth , not exactly Schengen , not exactly for the Greater good of all of the EU.
Not only do they lack the economic grey matter to wrench Europe out of its recession, but they appoint people to top jobs who have become discredited. In my view, this appointment makes the job even more difficult.