Monti makes a start

Mario Monti has got record levels of approval  from both houses of parliament for his cabinet of academics, and discussion is now turning to what he will do and how long the administration will last.

As to the first, he has said he will be making demands on those who have given least. It would be an extremely popular (as well as populist) gesture if he reduced salaries for MPs, but they are such a venal lot that even in the present climate I don't think it would get through. I haven't been able to find anyone who has heard of the new cabinet members. It may be worth recording that they almost all come from the university system, and that whilst Britain has three universities in the world top ten, Italy doesn't have one in the top 300. But it would be unfair to prejudge given the fact that I'd never heard of any of them, either.

As to how long the 'technical' government will last, Monti has said it should last until the due date for elections, that is to say 15 months, whilst Berlusconi has reminded everyone it is not a democratic government and that it will last as long as the elected politicians want it to. In fact it is quite convenient for a populist politician that the difficult decisions are implemented by an outsider. If it goes wrong he will say 'I told you so' and if it goes right he will return to power and claim the credit.

Monti is off to see Merkel and Sarkozy and the rest of the Euro-gang next week, and he will be welcomed with open arms. He is, after all, one of them.