Renzi’s first speech to Italy’s Senate inspired, populist – and very long

The Renzi era is fully under way. In a speech lasting an hour and 10 minutes, newly appointed Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi presented his government programme in the Senate, prior to a first vote of confidence.

Normally, the would-be prime minister reads a carefully prepared, often dull text on these occasions as he briefly outlines his government programme. But that is not the Renzi way.

Clearly working from a text that was nothing more than a series of bullet points, Mr Renzi did what he does best – he talked and talked and talked. At times, his energetic rhetoric was inspired while at others it was shamelessly populist. He was, however, never boring.

Repeating many of his promises of recent days, Mr Renzi outlined a programme – lacking in detail – that ranged from abolition of the Senate through electoral reform and on to reform of the justice system. He said he would significantly cut taxation while ensuring the state pays all its outstanding debts to thousands of medium and small suppliers.

To the surprise of some, he said education is "central" to his attempt to get Italy back on its feet, arguing it is vital Italian society restores "social validity" to the role of the teacher. To make the point, he intends to regularly visit schools all over Italy. "Billions not millions" have to be made available for education immediately, initially for the renovation and reparation of school buildings as well as for teaching itself.

In a comment that is likely to reassure Italy's senior EU partners, he struck a blow against Euro-scepticism when saying Italy must knock its economy into shape "not because Angela Merkel or Mario Draghi tell us to do so" but rather for the good and pride of Italy as it assumes its term of EU presidency later this year.

Rather than complaining about outside influences, Italians need to understand that only they can solve the country’s problems, he said.

Reflecting on the dire state of the economy, he said economic indicators such as 12.6 per cent unemployment and 42 per cent youth unemployment are indicative of a “total meltdown”.

In an apparent critical reference to the Berlusconi government's all-Italian salvaging of crisis-ridden Alitalia in 2008, at the expense of Air France and KLM, he said that a healthy country welcomes foreign investment rather than discouraging it.

Interrupted on several occasions by senators from the M5S protest movement, Mr Renzi said he would have preferred to take office following an election, but that at this moment of crisis that had not been possible.