Collapse highlights political tragedy

Shameless even by their own low standards, the gang of populists currently trying to govern Italy have attempted to exploit the tragic collapse of the bridge at Genoa for political purposes. Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister, minister of the interior and leader of the Northern League party, wasted to no time in blaming the detested European Union for the loss of life.

His argument was that the EU’s budgetary restraints on member states prevent them from carrying out expensive infrastructure projects.

What in fact went wrong, among other factors, was that the planned improvement works to the bridge were bitterly opposed by Salvini’s coalition partners, the Five Star Movement – it said warnings of the Morandi Bridge’s risk of collapse were a ‘‘favoletta’’ – a fairy tale of children’s fantasy.

These ugly arguments in Italy remind the Italian people and the wider European community that the country is embarked upon a uniquely dangerous exercise. There are hard-rightists in government or coalitions elsewhere in the EU, and in most states far-Right or populist movements command strong support by historical standards.

Yet it is in Italy that the clownishness and denigration of normal political debate is being played out with the most risk and danger. That is a further national tragedy.