The Left in Italy and the Lisbon Treaty: A ‘Political’ Europe, a ‘Social’ Europe and an ‘Economic’ Europe*

This article examines the attitudes of the parties on the left in Italy to moves towards European integration from the Convention on the Future of Europe in 2002-03 to the Lisbon Treaty in 2007. The analysis is contextualised by taking an historical perspective. It is argued that the parties of the left are strongly in favour of a ‘political’ and ‘social’ Europe, whereas the far left is concerned about an ‘economic’ Europe, depicted as a neo-liberal project that is being pursued at the expense of a social Europe. The parties of the right are by and large in favour of an economic Europe, but are lukewarm towards a political Europe. Centrist parties have a positive view of Europe on the whole, though they are particularly sensitive whenever ‘Europe’ touches upon matters related to Christianity. Yet, as evidenced during the Lisbon Treaty negotiations, none of the political parties seem to pay more than limited attention to the activities of the European Union.