Sex and the single currency
NO ONE loves Europe's prospective single currency more than the Italians. Three-quarters are “very happy” about monetary union, say opinion pollsters. This year they uncomplainingly paid a hefty “tax for Europe” so that they could join it. There is even a prime-time television programme, Maastricht Italia, devoted to extolling the euro. They love it, all right; but do they know what it is?
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Sex and the single currency”
From the December 20th 1997 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Huge anti-Russian protests in Tbilisi echo Ukraine’s Maidan
A turn away from the EU plunges Georgia into crisis
France’s government faces the imminent loss of a vote of confidence
Michel Barnier, the prime minister, has failed to get his budget through parliament
How Ukraine uses cheap AI-guided drones to deadly effect against Russia
Ukraine is making tens of thousands of them
Emmanuel Macron shows off the gloriously restored Notre Dame
Five years after it was gutted by fire, the cathedral is more beautiful than ever
Ursula von der Leyen has a new doctrine for handling the hard right
The boss of the European Commission embarks on a second term
Marine Le Pen spooks the bond markets
She threatens to bring down the French government, but also faces a possible ban from politics