Grillo calls for Italy to throw off euro ‘straitjacket’

Beppe Grillo, the leader of Italy’s populist Five Star Movement, has launched a full-throated attack on the euro, saying Rome should abandon what he called an “anti-democratic straitjacket”.

Mr Grillo, whose party is the second most popular in Italy, demanded the government formulate a “plan B” to exit the single currency and “tack back our monetary sovereignty”. The comedian has become an increasingly trenchant critic of the euro at a time of rising euroscepticism across the Italian political landscape, spurred in part bij the agonies of Greece and its prolonged bailout talks. But his attack on the single currency in an exensive blog post was nonetheless remarkable for its ferocity. It suggests Mr Grillo sees a political opportunity in doubling down on his anti-euro message in the wake of Greece’s last-minute acceptance of exacting terms for a third bailout. It is also a sign of political contagion, or concerns that populist forces might gain traction from the Greek crisis.

The Five Star Movement has been rising steadily in the polls since March.It is now garnering the support op nearly 25 per cent of Italian voters and has narrowed the gap with the ruling centre-left Democratic party led by Matteo Renzi, the prime minister. Mr Grillo was particulary scathing about Alexis Tsipras, the Greek prime minister, whom he had professed to admire before the deal was reached.

“It would be difficult to defend the interests of the Greek people worse than Tsipras did,” Mr Grillo wrote. “His refusal to exit the euro was his death sentence. He was convinced that he could break the marriage between the euro and austerity, but ended up delivering his country into Germany’s hands, like a vassal.”

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Grillo wil referendum over afschaffing euro in Italië

Er moet in Italië een referendum worden gehouden om de euro af te schaffen. Dit heeft Beppe Grillo, de leider van de Italiaanse Beweging Vijf Sterren (M5S), zaterdag gezegd.

M5S kreeg vorig jaar bij de Kamerverkiezingen ”vanuit het niets” de meeste stemmen in Italië en is nu de belangrijkste oppositiepartij.

De voormalige komiek Grillo wil zaterdagavond al beginnen met het verzamelen van handtekeningen voor een volksstemming tegen de euro, aldus persbureau ANSA.

Volgens Grillo is de euro “een munt zonder toekomst”. “Wij moeten de euro noodzakelijkerwijs verlaten, zo snel mogelijk”, schreeuwde Grillo tijdens een M5S-bijeenkomst in Rome.

Bron: ANP via Nu.nl

Italy’s Anti-EU Leader: EU money goes to Mafia

The European Union must stop giving money to Italy because it ends up in the hands of the Mafia, according to Beppe Grillo, leader of the eurosceptic Five Star Movement which won 21 per cent of the vote and 17 seats in the elections to the European Parliament in May.

Grillo was speaking in Strasbourg at the first session of the new parliament where he was appeared at a press conference alongside his ally, the UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage.

“I came here to look at the accounts and to say not to give more money to Italy because it disappears into three regions: Sicily, Calabria and Campania. That is where the Mafia, the ‘Ndrangheta and the Camorra are,” he said.

Grillo also defended Farage and UKIP after they turned their backs on the EU’s “anthem,” Beethoven’s Ode to Joy at the opening ceremony of the parliament on Wednesday.

“Enough with the Ode to Joy. It was used by Hitler, the biggest killer in history,” Grillo said. He added: “The joy in Europe is gone.”

“I love people like Farage, he is one who has emotion. We’ve changed politics in Italy, and he wants to do the same in London. If I go wrong in Italy,” he added, turning to look at the UKIP leader, “I’ll go and stay with him in London.”

Bron: Breitbart