Beware of the Third Pole
Plus, caro bollette and an inter-generational memoir
Of all the problems Italy faces in the months ahead, the energy crisis and skyrocketing bills are emerging as among the most serious. Readers may recall that before the war in Ukraine Italy was importing 40% of its gas from Russia. Despite the outgoing government’s (successful) efforts to reduce this figure, import prices are set to double by the end of this month. Local councils are rushing to reduce waste by, among other things, turning down the heating in state buildings, turning off street lamps and introducing new limitations on maximum winter temperatures for residential properties. Nevertheless, consumers and businesses are already feeling the sting. Restaurants, hotels and shops have been posting bill increases in their window displays to demonstrate the scale of price increases and, yes, it is rather shocking. The owners of my local bar – a case in point – have gone from spending EUR 3000 euro to EUR 12,000 on electricity over the past year during the same quarter (and it’s a rise that seems typical, especially for catering businesses, venues, gyms etc). For now the government is offering small consolations in the form of an energy ‘superbonus’ and the odd subsidy. The next administration, though, will be forced to choose among several larger strategic options: such as decoupling gas price from electricity bills or even, as per Spain, introducing a price cap. Whatever they decide they will need to act fast to stop Italy falling - even further - behind the rest of Europe in addressing the issue, as the worrying picture below demonstrates.
From a Lega candidate in Florence evoking ethnic cleansing of Roma people to the launch of Berlusconi’s TikTok channel it’s been another surreal and nightmarish week on the campaign trail. Beneath the clownish spectacles, though, a more substantive development is currently taking place regarding the strategy of the so-called “liberal” parties. Over the past week Matteo Renzi (Italia Viva) and Carlo Calenda (Azione) have been hatching a plan to try and position themselves as the kingmakers of the next government. Their goal, as far as I can see, is to try and siphon-off votes from both the left and right to, together, construct a “Third Pole” of around 15%. Under the current electoral law if they reach this threshold it might yet be possible for them to re-form a “moderate right-wing government” with Lega and Forza Italia as the key allies. Many people seem excited by this prospect, purely on the basis that it would keep Meloni away from power. I have to say, though, I find this self-interested behaviour sickening. If Renzi and Calenda’s parties had supported the PD from the beginning, the centre-left could certainly, with a little vision, have proposed a strong anti-fascist alliance capable of standing against Meloni. Instead, in the midst of an economic emergency, two career politicians are taking a gamble which will, at best, result in a new conservative neoliberal bloc, and at worst, leave the door wide open for a far-right ‘super majority.’ Neither option - alas - is going to get Italy out of its current predicament. And both of them know it.
Regular readers will know that I’m constantly on the lookout for interesting grants for property renovations (one-euro homes and so on). Well, another such opportunity crossed my radar this week that, caveats aside, sounds like it could be interesting for subscribers to this newsletter. The regional government of Sardinia has just allocated an extraordinary EUR 45 million towards an investment project to attract new residents to the island. Over the coming years the state will, apparently, be assigning grants of up to EUR 15,000 to individuals who decide to move their permanent residence to any small village of less than 3000 inhabitants and who are willing to invest in renovating property on the island. According to Christian Solinas, the regional President, his administration designed the scheme primarily to tackle the problem of Sardinia’s ageing population, and to encourage young people to make a permanent base there outside of the tourist season. For more info on the initiative check out this short explainer over at euronews.
Arts and culture: where, or what, is home?
TLS editor Thea Lenarduzzi's long-awaited first book hits shelves this week and it’s sure to be a hit with Italophiles around the world. Dandelions, the title chapter of which won Fitzcaraldo’s 2020 essay prize, is a “memoir and social history” which tells the story of several generations of the author’s family; from their life and work in Friuli-Venezia Giulia to their migration to Liverpool and subsequent returns to the “homeland”. It’s a story – in other words – about migrant identities, about Italian migration specifically, as well as nationhood belonging, nostalgia, customs and imaginaries. I’ve had the great privilege of working with Thea on a couple of articles so know full well how nuanced, and meticulously-written, this book will be. If you don’t trust me, though, the first reviews have also been positive. The Spectator, for one, called it “imaginative and deeply affecting” and even the young, trend-setting I-D magazine posted favourable comments in their late summer reading list. If you’re interested in personal journeys through 20th Century history, and what it means to inhabit multiple national identities, this might be up your street. Order directly from Fitzcaraldo here.
Let’s face it, Chef’s Table is a ridiculous show. The music, the soundbites, the melodramatic montages… leaving aside the undeniably gorgeous photography it’s all just a bit… naff isn’t it? Well, aesthetic grumblings aside, I couldn’t not flag-up the new Netflix season dedicated, specifically, to the particularities of pizza making. According to the blurb the show follows six chefs, Chris Bianco, Gabriele Bonci, Ann Kim, Franco Pepe, Yoshihiro Imai, and Sarah Minnick, documenting their different approaches and philosophies regarding dough, toppings, presentation and so on, while drawing more general cultural comparisons about what pizza means in different cities around the world. The trailer below is as over the top as you’d expect, but I have to say I’m still interested to see how the format works this time: Chef’s Table, the bastion of globalised food TV + Pizza, one of the most ‘globalized’ of foodstuffs is an interesting equation if nothing else.
Recipe of the week: schiacciata with gorgonzola and fig
Ripe costoluto tomatoes. Mushrooms. Grapes. Plums. Florence’s markets are looking truly beautiful at the moment as the late summer produce makes its way onto the stalls. This time of year, as the temperatures get more bearable, I often find myself craving simple rustic things to take on a hike or a picnic: sandwiches, focaccia, street food, cured meat, fruit. This week I rustled up one of my “go-to” September staples: schiacciata, a Florentine bread, filled with just two ingredients: gorgonzola (dolce) and fresh figs. I know, figs are a divisive fruit. People tend to love them or hate them. Wherever you stand, though, this combination is objectively spaziale: the salt and fat of the cheese paring perfectly with the sweet and sour fruit. There’s no need for a recipe here, but do try and use the White Triana fig if you can find it. Any fig will work but the slight nuttiness and jammy texture of this particular variety provides a certain alchemical balance to the other ingredients that, if you ask me, elevates this “mere” sandwich to something sublime.
About Me
My name is Jamie Mackay (@JacMackay) and I’m an author, editor and translator based in Florence. I’ve been writing about Italy for a decade for international media including The Guardian, The Economist, Frieze, and Art Review. I launched ‘The Week in Italy’ to share a more direct and regular overview of the debates and dilemmas, innovations and crises that sometimes pass under the radar of our overcrowded news feeds.
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