Italian Minister Wants to Bring Back the Lira

Welfare Minister Roberto Maroni wants to rid Italy of the euro and bring back the lira. He sited that the euro “has proved inadequate in the face of the economic slowdown.”

Italy should consider leaving the single currency and reintroducing the lira, Welfare Minister Roberto Maroni said in a newspaper interview on Friday.

Maroni, a member of the euro-skeptical Northern League party, told the Repubblica daily Italy should hold a referendum to decide whether to return to the lira, at least temporarily.

He also said European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet was one of those chiefly responsible for the “disaster of the euro.”

The euro “has proved inadequate in the face of the economic slowdown, the loss of competitiveness and the job crisis,” Maroni said.

In this situation, the answer is to give the government greater power to defend national industry from foreign competition and “to give control over the exchange rate back to the government.”

I personally always wondered why the individualistic European countries were going to give up the control of their currency for the euro. From a national level I never understood how it could work, let alone from a currency control stand point.

Maroni cited Britain as a virtuous example of a country whose economy “grows and develops, maintaining control over its currency.”

When it was put to Maroni that Trichet on Thursday dismissed the idea that monetary union could break up, the minister replied: “Sure, he is one of those chiefly responsible for the disaster of the euro.”

Don’t get an “Americano’s” opinion, let’s go right to the source. Lets ask the Right Nation’s opinion their opinion on this matter.

Or either Mirko or IdeaLibertà  

We await their reply.

Come ritenete circa portare il lire indietro che sostituisce l’euro? È questo un l’opinione popolare in Italia o appena un crusade dell’uomo?

(Perdonilo prego se questo non correttamente traslate.)

Hmm … looks like the Vodkapundit doesn’t think this has legs. I do have to agree that when I was in Italy in the 80′s a pocket full of change really was a pocket full of change.