The ninth report on security and insecurity in Europe edited by Demos and the Observatory of Pavia together with the Unipolis Foundation and with the coordination of Ilvo Diamanti is truly frightening. Italians are prisoners of a fear that comes from the outside, from what is happening in the rest of the world (wars, immigration, terrorism) and which appears to us beyond our understanding and above all beyond our possibilities of intervention and control. For this reason, somewhat surprisingly, the vast majority of our fellow citizens (over 56%) want border controls to be restored, plus another 27% would like controls at least in particular circumstances.
In short, the Italians would like the abolition of Schengen, not understanding that for us this would be a catastrophe, as we could no longer be substantially a transit country, but we would have to manage all the immigrants who will arrive at home and who would be very difficult to block with military means as they would like some German Nazis emboldened by the good success in the recent elections in three Lander. But fear doesn't allow you to think clearly. In fact, trust in Europe has also collapsed, which is now still expressed by 32,8% of our fellow citizens, more or less at the level of traditional English Eurosceptics, while in Germany it exceeds 53% despite great concern for immigrants , and in France and Spain it is between 41 and 45%.
In short, trust in Europe is declining everywhere, but the collapse recorded in Italy is truly impressive. To this we must add that the Euro is judged positively by only 16% of the interviewees, and that the majority of Italians seem to believe that the single currency has caused many problems, even if it is now better to keep it. All this seems to be the result of fears not only and not so much of an economic nature, but of those that originate in the rest of the world and which the EU has not shown to be able to control. Added to this is that the traditionally weak Italian institutions are unable to give "trust" to people seeking protection and reassurance.
And in fact Italians have little faith in the state (just 27% more than five points less than in Brussels), while in other countries the state is considered a reassuring point of reference for almost half of the citizens. Obviously the institutions receive lifeblood from politics which in Italy appears contentious and inconclusive. Even if this latest research highlights that fears deriving from economic causes (unemployment, standard of living) are decreasing, this is not enough to increase confidence in the state.
And this derives from the fact that the reforms made so far, while starting to give positive results, are not yet sufficient to make citizens perceive a less "master" and more protective state. Politics therefore has great responsibilities. On the one hand, there are numerous parties that find it convenient to fuel fears because this leads to consensus, especially if simplistic recipes are then offered to address them. Recipes which often, as has been said for the closure of borders, lead to results opposite to those proclaimed, but which above all to be implemented would require an authoritarian democracy, or even a dictatorial regime, such as the one which would arise from the direct democracy envisioned by Grillo and farmhouse.
There is also responsibility for information which emphasizes any political or news fact because "disasters" attract more attention. Crime news sells well, just as international political events are often reported in such a way as to arouse maximum fear instead of stimulating calm reasoning on what can be done and how to counter the dangers. This is true, but it is equally certain that the greatest responsibilities lie with politics and the ruling classes in general. And a revolt against the old policy is in fact a symptom that is found in almost all Western countries, starting with the United States.
To counter fears and keep social hatred against the different (whether poorer or richer) at bay, political leaders would be needed capable not only of indicating hope, but of making binding and therefore verifiable promises, assuming the responsibility of offering a guide, also by contrasting the most irrational feelings of public opinion, and thus reassuring frightened people about the possibility of building together a fair and growing society. Moreover, young people are much more confident than the elderly. It is on them that we need to focus with appropriate non-welfare policies, but capable of promoting an increase in education and appropriate mobility.
