logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2021
25 m

Italy’s make or break moment

Financial Times
About this episode

Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, discusses Italy as former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi takes on the premiership. How Draghi decides to spend up to €200bn in grants and loans from the EU recovery fund will be crucial, not just for Italy, but for the future direction of the EU. Ben’s guest is Enrico Letta, a former Italian prime minister, who is now dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po.

Clips: UKTI; France 24; Channel 4


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
David Miliband: ‘Peacemaking has gone into retreat’
The world is experiencing a record number of conflicts, just as governments retreat from international aid and diplomacy to leave a more politically fragmented international landscape in their wake. That is the view of David Miliband, the former UK foreign secretary and president ... Show More
29m 7s
Sep 10
The world at war
War is raging in Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan, while tensions are rising between China and Taiwan. What is driving this surge in global conflict, how should we respond and where, if anywhere, are the prospects for peace? Gideon is joined by Sir John Sawers, former head of M ... Show More
32m 47s
Sep 3
Will Bessent’s ‘economic D-Day’ break Iran?
US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent is calling for an “economic D-Day” for the Iranian regime while threatening secondary sanctions on countries that do business with the country. Will this be more effective than previous attempts at economic pressure? What impact will this have ... Show More
31m 59s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2021
Super Mario to the rescue
This week, former European Central Bank Chief Mario Draghi was sworn in as the country’s prime minister and the head of a unity government and put an end to weeks of political turmoil. His cabinet is the third administration that Italy sees in less than three years. But how stabl ... Show More
25m 55s
Apr 2013
Prospects for a new Italian government
The political chaos in Rome seems to be about to come to an end as the bickering parties prepare to form a broad coalition government led by Enrico Letta of the centre-left Democrats. Will the coalition be able to rise to the challenges facing Italy, including an economy now ente ... Show More
13m 58s
Feb 2022
Episode #94 -- Marco Rocco and the Fragile Future for Italy and the EU
I discuss the future of Italy, the state of Italian politics and the context of a failing European Union with Marco Rocco of Mittdolcino.com, a finance and politics blog from Italy. http://www.mittdolcino.com Is Mario Draghi No Longer Davos’ Superman? https://tomluongo.me/2022/01 ... Show More
53m 34s
Jun 2025
Who gets to be Italian?
Syria is preparing to rejoin the international banking system, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s rightwing government is trying to prevent a change to the country’s citizenship rules. Plus, US junk bond sales are booming ahead of fresh tariff uncertainty, and a German f ... Show More
10m 58s
Apr 2025
Cars, Chianti and Couture
First: Italy's prime minister arrives at the White House on a mission to scale back the Trump tariffs on European products Americans love. But can she persuade the president to reach a trade truce with the EU?  Plus: Democrats are back in their districts for spring break, testin ... Show More
41m 23s
Sep 2024
Giorgia Meloni: Redefining Italy’s place in Europe and the world
<p>Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni is playing a central role in the country’s recent significant political developments. Her right-wing coalition government, which is inter alia focused on tightening immigration policies and promoting an Italian nationalist agenda, continue ... Show More
33m 6s