Worlds Apart
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Erik Jones, director of European and Eurasian studies at Johns Hopkins University on European unity in the Skripal case
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‘We could have a nuclear war by accident’ Professor Gerhard Mangott of the University of Innsbruck analyses Moscow-EU relations
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‘Fidel trusted me’: Jon Alpert, American filmmaker on Cuba documentary he filmed for 45 years
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‘The US is disregarding its allies’ – Jarrett Blanc, Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for Intl Peace on US pull-out from Iran deal
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‘The Americans are parents, but we say: We’re off to college’ – The Philippines Secretary of Foreign Affairs
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‘Who is going to take care of Jerusalem? Us or Hamas?’ An interview with Dore Gold, Israeli diplomat
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‘The US trade policy is a mess’ - Brahma Chellaney from the Center for Policy Research
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‘The US is using racket diplomacy to promote their interests’ – former French foreign trade minister
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‘Italy is a perfect storm for populism in Europe’ - Paolo Magri, director of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies
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‘You need Russia if you want peace in the Middle East’ – ex-Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel
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British media personality Katie Hopkins on Putin, London’s mayor and multiculturalism
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Propaganda exercise or attempt at democracy? – Vyatka State University assistant professor Samantha Lomb on Stalin’s constitution
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‘Iran is the main destabiliser in the region’ – Israel’s ex-Deputy FM Daniel Ayalon
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‘Migration is necessary’ – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
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‘Sport is what brings people together’ – Russian hockey legend Viacheslav Fetisov
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Columbia University Professor of Economics Arvind Panagariya on US trade war
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‘Football connects people’ – Legendary Croatian footballer Davor Suker
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‘Views about women’s rights are changing in Afghanistan’ – Afghan MP Fawzia Koofi
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Internet of Things Council founder: Internet of the future, benefits and challenges
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Meir Javedanfar: America abandoning the Iran deal was, ‘a wrong move’
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'The United States is on the declining part of the life cycle curve" – Ichak Adizes, author and management consultant
‘Italy is a perfect storm for populism in Europe’ - Paolo Magri, director of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies
Months of political gridlock in Italy have finally ended with the formation of its first anti-establishment and populist government. Worlds Apart invites the director of the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) think tank, Paolo Magri, to discuss the anti-European feeling in the country and across the EU, as well as the differences with the US.
“Italy in Europe is like a perfect storm for populism. Populism is fed by economic problems, fed by a surge of uncontrolled migration,” Magri says. Despite Italians being “upset with Europe,” Magri says he is sure “the majority of Italians would be happy to risk adventuring into a world without Europe and euro.”
“One year ago, it looked after Brexit all countries could join the anti-Europe movement.” But it didn’t happen in the Netherlands and in France, where the nationalist Party for Freedom and Marine Le Pen’s National Front “dropped a strong anti-Europe policy, which is what [Lega leader Matteo] Salvini and [Five Start Movement leader Luigi] di Mayo did in this campaign,” Magri says.
As for the new government’s foreign policy, Magri says it would be too “risky” to be on a collision course with the EU. Although Italy and “several European countries believe we should get out of sanctions [against Russia],” it’s Washington that takes “the final decision.” The US will use “a trade war in exchange for support” on its Moscow policy and the US withdrawal from the Iran deal, Magri says.