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New on the Open Europe Blog IMF takes a more critical line on Greece  Open Europe Blog Colpevole: Supreme Court had bad news for Berlusconi (and the Italian government) Open Europe Blog Did the EU instruct Rome to “unplug” Berlusconi?  Open Europe Blog
Daily Press Summary Berlusconi reiterates backing for government as his supporters protest in Rome; Centre-right senator warns of “a form of civil war” if Berlusconi forced out of politics Silvio Berlusconi told a rally of supporters in Rome yesterday that Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s coalition government “must go ahead”. Italian media reported over the weekend that Berlusconi’s party will seek presidential pardon for their leader. Sandro Bondi, a Senator from Berlusconi’s party, warned that “Italy really risks a form of civil war whose outcomes would be unpredictable for everyone” if Berlusconi is forced out of politics as a result of his tax fraud conviction. Open Europe’s Vincenzo Scarpetta appeared on BBC News and BBC World Service, arguing that “another political crisis in Italy would potentially trigger fresh uncertainty in the eurozone as a whole.” Open Europe blog Repubblica La Stampa Corriere della Sera Saturday’s Times FT Weekend FT Weekend: Leader Welt Süddeutsche Handelsblatt ANSA TG3 FT WSJ Repubblica 2 Corriere della Sera 2 Fatto Quotidiano Writing in the Telegraph, Dominic Raab MP cites a recent Open Europe/ComRes poll, which found that 55% of people want to see the UK regain control of its immigration policy, while 42% want the UK parliament to have the power to block unwanted EU laws. Open Europe poll Telegraph Ivan Rogers, David Cameron’s advisor on European and global issues and a former Treasury official, is expected this month to be appointed as the UK’s new permanent representative to the EU, reports the FT. FT SPD open to grand coalition with Merkel’s party, but only if she is not Chancellor In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF, the SPD Chancellor Candidate Peer Steinbrück ruled out a grand coalition with German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU. However, according to FAZ, SPD sources have suggested that the party would enter a grand coalition if the CDU put forward an alternative Chancellor candidate instead of Merkel. Meanwhile, a new Emnid poll for Bild am Sonntag put the CDU/CSU on 40%, the SPD on 25%, the Greens on 13%, the Left party on 8%, the FDP on 5%, the Pirate party on 3%, and the anti-euro party AfD on 2%. Separately, the WSJ reports that Jürgen Trittin, the leader of the German Green Party, has been lined up for the post of Finance Minister if an SPD/Green coalition wins next month’s German elections. Trittin is open to a potential Greek debt haircut and supports a financial transaction tax with proceeds used to boost investment in Europe. WSJ SPD FAZ Handelsblatt Süddeutsche The Sunday Telegraph reported that, according to unnamed French sources, French President François Hollande has said he will not back David Cameron in his attempts to renegotiate the UK’s relationship with the EU, and has labelled the decision to hold a referendum on the issue a “risk”. However, Hollande also said he is keen to keep the UK in the EU. Sunday Telegraph Sunday Telegraph: Anderson A study by the International Securities Lending Association (ISLA) notes that the EU’s proposed financial transaction tax could “wipe out” up to 65% of securities lending in those EU member states that have decided to introduce the levy under so-called ‘enhanced cooperation’, reports the FT. FT According to the latest IMF forecast, unemployment rate in Spain should stay above 25% for at least five more years. Spanish Deputy Economy Minister Fernando Jiménez Latorre said the forecast was “pessimistic”, reports Expansión. FT Weekend Expansión Expansión 2 UK International Development Minister, Alan Duncan, told the FT that he is “absolutely baffled” by the European Commission’s decision to investigate price fixing in the oil market. “The very fact they are even considering an inquiry suggests they don’t understand what they are dealing with”, he argued.  FT: Duncan