The Lega Nord Back in Government

Following the 2008 general election, the Italian regionalist populist party Lega Nord returned to government as part of a centre-right coalition led by Silvio Berlusconi. Since then, the party has been able to thrive thanks to its holding of key ministries and its consolidation of ‘issue ownership’ over its main themes of federal reform and immigration/law and order. In this period, it has also made major gains in the 2009 European Parliament and 2010 regional elections. This article analyses the Lega's success since 2008 by considering the actions of the party (in particular the legislation it has sponsored and the narrative offered of its time in government) as well as the reactions of mid-ranking leaders and activists. The authors argue that, contrary to the expectations of scholars, populists serving as junior coalition partners are not necessarily destined to tame their rhetoric, face splits or see their electoral support decline. On the contrary, by focusing on selected themes and policies and adopting effective communication strategies, the Lega has continued to enjoy electoral success and seen its membership grow. The article concludes, therefore, that claims about populists being inherently unable to survive in government and enjoy success seem to have been premature.     

Pockets of resistance to globalization: the case of the Lega Nord

ABSTRACT

From its inception, the Lega Nord has been a populist social and political movement obsessed with the Other. In the world-view of the Lega Nord, the Other is anything that threatens the cultural and regional identity of Italians in the northern part of the country, particularly the Northeast. In the early 1990s the Other was constituted by corrupt politicians in Rome, Italian economic monopolies and southern Italians. By the late 1990s the Other had increasingly become the forces of globalization that, according to the Lega leadership's shrill arguments, threatened the economic and social fabric of what the party now refers to as ‘Padania’. Woods explores the manner in which anti-globalization became the dominant ideological Other in the rhetoric of the Lega Nord.     

Addressing contradictory needs: the Lega Nord and Italian immigration policy

ABSTRACT

Cento Bull addresses the question of whether the Italian Lega Nord, when in government, pursues policies that contradict its rhetoric (politics of simulation or symbolic politics) or policies that are in line with its dominant discourse (politics of identity). Her analysis focuses on immigration policy because this is an area that links together economic issues (immigration is highly functional to the economy of those regions of Italy that form the Lega's strongholds) and identity issues (immigration is seen as visibly threatening cultural values and disrupting community cohesion). She argues that recent legislation in this area, approved in July 2009, is formally in line with Lega rhetoric but also that actual policy outcomes contradict both the party's rhetoric and the legislation itself. This confirms the validity of the concept of ‘simulative politics’ in so far as it refers to a societal practice of self-deception, rather than simply to practices of deception on the part of political actors.     

次国家政府外交在"桥头堡"开放战略中的定位

中国国家＂桥头堡＂陆路开放战略思维已经逐渐清晰了。从沿海开放到内陆开放是中国全方位开放战略的拓展与深化。与沿海开放相比,由于时代背景与问题领域的不同,＂桥头堡＂陆路开放战略的实施给内陆开放前沿省份的次国家政府外交事务提供了巨大的空间;也正是由于时代和问题领域的不同,内陆开放前沿省份的次国家政府外交事务在＂桥头堡＂战略实施中应当具有更多的国家战略意识、能动性和持久战略规划,充实国家在＂桥头堡＂战略实施中的外交资源。     

Berlusconi,Boehner and the Brink: Lessons for Political Reform in Britain

In the early autumn of 2013 large minorities in Italy and the United States fermented crises that badly disrupted the government of the two countries. These cases were widely understood as instances of dysfunction in established democracies that would rarely be replicated elsewhere. However, while all the conditions that generated the crises are unlikely to be evident in other established democracies three important factors that caused the disruptions in the American and Italian political processes are also sources of political conflict in Britain. They are the powers of the second legislative chamber, the weakening links between parties and social groups, and the redrawing of electoral boundaries. All of them present problems for political reform in Britain, and understanding the role they played in the two political crises of 2013 is important for future reform in Britain.     

延安时期马克思主义指导下的法制理论与实践

党在延安时期的法制理论与实践,包括反帝反封建的、保障人权的立法思想、调查研究实事求是的指导思想、依靠群众的法制路线和廉政建设的法制思想等方面.延安时期的法制建设,是在马克思主义指导下的结合中国国情的法制建设,其所形成的法制理论是具有中国特色的法制理论,也是毛泽东法制思想的组成部分.     

对我国政府购买居家养老服务发展的思考

我国老龄化的严峻形势要求政府通过开展购买养老服务提高老年人的生活质量。在政策实施的过程中,我们既要学习西方的先进经验,也需要考虑到我国与西方发达国家间政策环境差异,从而创造出适应于中国的购买机制。     

Urban local government finance in Nigeria: The case of Onitsha local government

Onitsha, located along the route that connects south-western and south-eastern Nigeria, has a very financially dynamic local government. Over one-quarter of the total revenues of this local government come from its market and motor parks. This is an unusual source for a local government that has perhaps the largest per capita revenue in Nigeria—almost N40, compared with the national average of N4.9. The procedure for collecting this revenue is regarded as highly successful since there is greater reliance on the citizens than tax officials. The volume of revenues collected has allowed the council maintain a large surplus revenue over a long period of time, which enables it to carry out important programmes of primary and adult education. It is also beginning to develop its property revenue collection system in collaboration with the Anambra State government.     

地方政府的行为博弈与其外在性

在中国 ,随着中央与地方分权化的改革进程 ,部分地确立了地方政府的经济地位、增强了其独立的利益目标 ,一方面 ,地方政府在中央政府给定的约束线内进行自主性决策 ,市场主体地位增强 ;另一方面 ,分税制以及财政分级预算使地方政府追求经济绩效有了强大的激励机制 ,地方经济利益增进目标突出。但是 ,地方政府在和中央政府以及企业行为博弈的过程中也已引起了一些外在性问题 ,影响了区域经济的均衡发展 ,阻碍了整个社会的帕累托改进。     

乡镇政府改革的缘由及其路径选择

乡镇政府改革时下成为各界关注的焦点,乡镇政府何去何从?改革的路径是什么?本文在简单分析乡镇政府改革的缘由的基础上,着重从体制上分析乡镇问题的原因,指出乡镇的很多问题是体制使然;文章的第三部分对几种流行的改革路径做了一个简单的分析,并对当前可行的路径做了初步的探讨。     

构建和谐社会视野中的政府职能转变

政府职能转变是经济社会发展的需要。在与市场、社会、公民的动态关系中，政府要按照服务性、公共性和法定性原则，推进职能转变、自身建设和管理创新!     

公共危机中的政府决策困境与化解思路

危机情境下,事态不确定、信息有限、时间紧迫、决策环境复杂多变和技术支持稀缺等因素制约了政府的决策及其效用的发挥。要化解危机,走出困境,既依赖于相应的制度和机制作保障,又要有决策者个人的胆识、学识和个人阅历,既要充分发挥智囊的作用,又要有决策层的智慧,当然,还要跳出这些个人因素,站在更高的层面上思考问题,只有这样化解危机才能正确有效。     

Mapping the consumption of government communication: a qualitative study in Germany

Successful communication between citizens and government is critical for the effective implementation of governance. Although government communication is highly relevant to society, few governments fully exploit the potential benefits of the direct communication instruments at their disposal. To establish foundations for encouraging various forms of government communication, this article starts by examining its reception among German focus groups and thus offering general implications for successful, citizen‐sensitive government communication. The results suggest the need for better articulation of interests in government communication, such that they appear more egalitarian, closer to the citizen, and online—that is, successful government communication demands considerable proximity to citizens, interactive feedback channels, and systematic participation by citizens in political processes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The government versus management controversy: Ascribing responsibility for the failure of a public corporation in Nigeria

Efforts to employ public corporations in African countries to promote development have had limited success. A major controversy has developed over who is responsible for such failure. On the one hand are those who accuse management; on the other hand are those who accuse government. This study seeks to assess the merits of the contending arguments through an analysis of Nigeria'S Cross River State Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC). There is a strong prima-facie case against management. It failed to sustain the enterprise; it failed to produce any profits; it failed to give employees satisfaction in their work; it failed to give strong direction to the corporation; it failed significantly to advance the technology of the ADC; and it made little contribution to the community. But, on close examination, it is apparent that management'S failure was a consequence of structural and financial constraints imposed on it by government. Thus, real responsibility for the failure of the ADC belongs with the government. The reasons for government ‘killing’ its own public corporation are partly constraints imposed on it and partly the opposition of its supporters to public enterprise.     

农村经济社会发展进程中政府行为存在的问题与对策

中国农村地方政府行为是推动农村经济社会发展的重要变量.在充分肯定政府对农村经济社会发展的巨大推动和积极引导作用的同时,也应该看到,无论在政府职能、行为还是政府组织体制和干部队伍建设上,都存在着一些问题,这些问题制约了政府的应有功能,进而阻碍了农村经济社会的发展.本文针对中国农村经济社会发展中政府行为存在的问题,提出了继续转变政府职能,优化机构设置,理顺条块关系;建立乡镇等级分类制度,健全政绩考核指标体系,规范政府行为等对策建议.     

提高政府执行力的障碍及对策探析

2006年3月初,温家宝总理在第十届全国人民代表大会第四次会议上所作的《政府工作报告》提出了建立健全行政问责制,提高政府执行力和公信力。政府执行力概念第一次被写进《政府工作报告》,标志着政府执行力建设被正式纳入国家治理的范畴。     

The New Public Administration: management innovations in government

Over the last two decades there have been some fundamental changes in the working of government which have resulted in major and visible management innovations in the organizational structures and systems of government aimed at delivering greater efficiency, and more responsive and flexible public services. The innovations have led to the ‘New Public Administration’. This article identifies the innovations in thinking about the role and functioning of government; about service users; about administrative structures and about staff. The article also discusses the strategies and actions employed in the new synergy between the public and private sectors, as well as the reforms in financial planning and control systems. In conclusion, the broad objectives of these reforms have been to shift emphasis from developing plans to developing key strategic areas; to shift emphasis from inward-looking systems to developing partnerships; to shift emphasis from inputs and processes to outputs and outcomes; and to shift emphasis towards managing diversity within a unified public service. Finally, managerial pragmatism and political conviction are highlighted as essential to motivating management innovation in government. (© 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)