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| Italy tales: 'Information in this country is crap' | Italy tales: 'Information in this country is crap' |
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| On the front page of the political analysis website Quattrogatti.info you will find an interactive guide to the complex Italian electoral law. It takes readers through the so-called "Porcellum" (a Latinised version of the Italian for "crap", making this a "crap law"), and its implications for the senate and the chamber. At the end the guide presents readers with a message: "Whatever your ideas, think hard about what your vote means before going to the ballot box. An informed vote is always the best vote!" | On the front page of the political analysis website Quattrogatti.info you will find an interactive guide to the complex Italian electoral law. It takes readers through the so-called "Porcellum" (a Latinised version of the Italian for "crap", making this a "crap law"), and its implications for the senate and the chamber. At the end the guide presents readers with a message: "Whatever your ideas, think hard about what your vote means before going to the ballot box. An informed vote is always the best vote!" |
| There is an element to this of the screamingly obvious, of course, but in Italy nothing can be taken for granted. In a country where residents still receive around four-fifths of their news from broadcast media, getting the facts out there is not always easy. | There is an element to this of the screamingly obvious, of course, but in Italy nothing can be taken for granted. In a country where residents still receive around four-fifths of their news from broadcast media, getting the facts out there is not always easy. |
| The current mission of Quattrogatti, then, is to provide accurate, accessible information on a variety of topics relating to Italian economy, society and culture. "We try to combine the rigour of academic work – we work with data from non-partisan sources – with simple and entertaining presentation," says Piero Tortola, a postdoctoral researcher at Turin's Carlo Alberto College who combines academia with the work for the website. | The current mission of Quattrogatti, then, is to provide accurate, accessible information on a variety of topics relating to Italian economy, society and culture. "We try to combine the rigour of academic work – we work with data from non-partisan sources – with simple and entertaining presentation," says Piero Tortola, a postdoctoral researcher at Turin's Carlo Alberto College who combines academia with the work for the website. |
| "Information in Italy is crap," he says, running through the litany of well-documented problems with the country's media: private television channels owned by Silvio Berlusconi; a public broadcaster susceptible to political influence; a newspaper like Il Giornale which is owned by Berlusconi's brother, Paolo. But he adds: "The web is changing things and we like to see ourselves as part of the solution." | "Information in Italy is crap," he says, running through the litany of well-documented problems with the country's media: private television channels owned by Silvio Berlusconi; a public broadcaster susceptible to political influence; a newspaper like Il Giornale which is owned by Berlusconi's brother, Paolo. But he adds: "The web is changing things and we like to see ourselves as part of the solution." |
| Because of the issues with the mainstream media, he says, there is an appetite for the kind of content Quattrogatti produces. | Because of the issues with the mainstream media, he says, there is an appetite for the kind of content Quattrogatti produces. |
| What are Tortola's own intentions at the ballot box? His answer shows that, even among the best-informed voters, the way forward isn't always clear. "I'm not sure what my views are anymore. I've always been very generally on the left side of the spectrum," he says. "But like many other young leftists I've been very much disappointed by the Italian mainstream left over the past 15 to 20 years. To be honest with you I'm not sure they deserve my vote this time." | What are Tortola's own intentions at the ballot box? His answer shows that, even among the best-informed voters, the way forward isn't always clear. "I'm not sure what my views are anymore. I've always been very generally on the left side of the spectrum," he says. "But like many other young leftists I've been very much disappointed by the Italian mainstream left over the past 15 to 20 years. To be honest with you I'm not sure they deserve my vote this time." |
| Tortola laughs a lot, but his anger and frustration is clear. The problem, for him, is not so much Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of the centre-left Democratic party (PD), who seems reasonably competent and likeable. The problem is the rest of the PD, which Tortola feels hasn't made enough of a break with its past to regain credibility. | Tortola laughs a lot, but his anger and frustration is clear. The problem, for him, is not so much Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of the centre-left Democratic party (PD), who seems reasonably competent and likeable. The problem is the rest of the PD, which Tortola feels hasn't made enough of a break with its past to regain credibility. |
| The researcher says he is also intrigued by the new forces which look set to break through in this election, most notably Beppe Grillo, the comedian and the Five Star Movement. While he appreciates their novelty, however, he is concerned by what he calls their "absolute amateurism" and centralisation of power in the hands of Grillo and his web guru, Roberto Casaleggio. | The researcher says he is also intrigued by the new forces which look set to break through in this election, most notably Beppe Grillo, the comedian and the Five Star Movement. While he appreciates their novelty, however, he is concerned by what he calls their "absolute amateurism" and centralisation of power in the hands of Grillo and his web guru, Roberto Casaleggio. |
| Overall, Tortola's biggest hope is that the PD do well enough to form a government but are kept in check by a sizeable and boisterous opposition- something he feels has been sadly lacking in the Italian parliament in recent years. And his biggest fear? He hesitates between the possibility of a Berlusconi government and no government at all. Whatever the result, it is not likely to be enough to bring him much cheer. "I'm very pessimistic about Italy," he says. "I have been for a while and I don't see anything changing." | Overall, Tortola's biggest hope is that the PD do well enough to form a government but are kept in check by a sizeable and boisterous opposition- something he feels has been sadly lacking in the Italian parliament in recent years. And his biggest fear? He hesitates between the possibility of a Berlusconi government and no government at all. Whatever the result, it is not likely to be enough to bring him much cheer. "I'm very pessimistic about Italy," he says. "I have been for a while and I don't see anything changing." |
| • Thank you to everyone who got in touch, and do keep your suggestions coming. Along the way I'll be tweeting interviews and other posts using the hashtag #StoriedItalia2013. | • Thank you to everyone who got in touch, and do keep your suggestions coming. Along the way I'll be tweeting interviews and other posts using the hashtag #StoriedItalia2013. |
| You can contact me on Twitter at @lizzy_davies or by email at lizzy.davies@guardian.co.uk. | You can contact me on Twitter at @lizzy_davies or by email at lizzy.davies@guardian.co.uk. |
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