little reflection on the kind invitation of the Swiss Confederation Council Dominique Baettig (pictured right) . I'll try to be brief and schematic, but I'm tempted to write a river.
Facts
Orm all to know that a few days ago, the Swiss Board of the Christian Right anti-European Dominique Conseil Fédéral Baettig proposed to the Swiss to vote on a motion presupposed that any easily integration of new cantons to the Confederation . Here's what he said Baettig:
Considering the lack of interest in the national and European political class suffered by certain neighboring regions, as well as their desire to win autonomy from the central (or from Brussels) , the Federal Council is committed to propose as soon as the Federal Assembly a constitutional framework and legal operation, which may allow, if desired by the majority of the population in question, the following departments, provinces and neighboring provinces:
Alsace (F); Aosta (I), Bolzano (I), Jura (F), Vorarlberg (A), Ain (F), Savoie (F), Baden-Württemberg (FRG), Varese (I ), Como (I) or others (the list is open),
who have already Espree sso this desire in the past, to join the Swiss Confederation Swiss cantons as new right of initiative and referendum, the benefits of a system of direct democracy.
The Federal Council , presumably fearing an invasion German Wehrmacht in the case of annexation of Stuttgart, has however responded spades :
A review of the Federal Constitution to enable the regions adjacent to our country to join the Swiss Confederation would be a hostile political act, that neighboring states might consider, and rightly so, provocative and would seriously damage relations with countries.
Such a review would not only be politically inconvenient, but also problematic in terms of international law . Violates the fundamental rules of international law, which does not recognize a general right of secession. The right of secession is only a last resort in exceptional circumstances, which obviously are not given in this case.
The full text of motion and its response is available here .
reactions
in Como have jumping for joy. According to an online survey - then of little value - out of 2,500 voters around 74% would gladly waving flags along the red cross beloved lake. The newspaper the Valle d'Aosta Aostasera.it launched a similar survey at the time, yet few voters (about 250), but similar rates to those of Lombardy (the 72% of Internet users Rossoneri violet color our cows pieces).
repeat that these surveys are as long as TROVAN oe are often dictated by the moods of the moment, they should be taken with the tongs. But surely lead to some reason.
Silence (almost) by the deafening local institutions. Apart from a quip Alberto Zucchi and ANSA a post on his blog of Luciano Caveri (see my comment below), no other reactions have emerged. Nothing President Rollandin - an institutional response would be appreciated -, an echo from the opposition (Zucchi in part, provided that it is still the opposition). Silence also by the President of the Mouvement Ego Perron, although it should be remembered that the party leader is inspired by the cantonal principles of federalism, as mentioned in the Declaration of Chivasso and many members of the Valle d'Aosta nationalism.
I was rather amazed at the reaction of Luciano Caveri. Former President Region has dismissed the affair with a <è solo folklore> that seems simplistic, especially by those who, not too long ago, ricordav aa Walter Veltroni risks of a resurgence in Valle d'Aosta secessionist . Besides, who is representative of the Valley at the Committee of Regions , we might have expected a stronger statement, attentive to the role that regions should play in the European team and consistent with the demand for greater autonomy and participation in decision-making of 'Union. Caveri for direct political experience, knows the subject, and broke it also demonstrated with some very careful steps to the European dimension of the VDA. His reaction to me seemed so distracted.
In short: missed opportunity? joke that does not follow up? Below, for those interested, I explain why, in my view, the VDA should pay more attention to the story .
Federal Question
the Italian state, for through the league, is showing signs of (para) federalism so do the stones. What little is known is that the model served up by the four assays Lorenzago and Prof. Antonini federalism is not true, but a mere devolution of powers and resources without a real clear plan. Moreover, the proposed model decrease the evidence in the territory of special autonomy, erasing centuries of history with four lines of constitutional law .
The motion was Baettig dun this serve as a battering ram to break down the door of federalism based sull'associazionismo volunteer in other words, you want the Federal VdA is part of Italy? Fine, but should also want to Valley. No federal state was never born to "unpacking" of a unitary state: Italy, apparently, will be the first case. But in the associations worthy of the name, including Switzerland, the populations of territorial units have been consulted before joining in a common government. The point is this: should be asked if Val d'Aosta, once approved, the federal reform of the Italian State, in this country still want to stay there.
The game (or the threat of a referendum) is worth the candle? Yes, and for two reasons: first, would be possible to negotiate with the Italian state greater powers (I think especially the representative to the European Parliament and the holding of a regional delegation in meetings of the EU Council of Ministers, as expected - and never used - since 2006) and greater autonomy in fiscal matters, in spite of the partnerships that I know how much of a sop, and secondly, in case of refusal to negotiate, the Valle d'Aosta could be carrying the true federalism, adopting a constitution (Like all U.S. states, for example) that configuration as a state within the Italian federation . And are also telling me that international law does not allow it: no one remembers the referendum for the secession of Montenegro from Serbia, Slovakia or the Czech Republic consumer ltazioni popular for the independence of Catalonia?
Europe
As reported in the last line of the paragraph above, it should be reported to the ethnic and political unrest that permeates Europe whole. We have entered a new phase of "Europe des Régions ethniques" (to use Guy Heraud) and not even realizing there are . The slow cleavage of Belgium, the next President of the EU, the peaceful transition of Montenegro, the Catalunya Sardinian separatists who return to grow, France, which opens to the reform of collectivités Territoriales are just some of the signs of an old Europe that no longer exists.
Valle d'Aosta, committed to looking at their toes (we read tax sharing agreements), can not see beyond his nose , and do not have the courage to appeal to those natural allies, France and Switzerland, which could sustain the dialogue, certainly difficult, with an Italian state that proclamations aside, it is extremely inattentive to the needs of local governments.
The idea of \u200b\u200ba Europe of regions is not of Bossi and Calderoli - as would have us believe, pompous of the title to Bruno Salvadori their meeting room in the House - but the so-called "not conformistes des années 30" French. and Alexandre Marc Denis de Rougemont are the most famous names of the school, followed by Guy Heraud , foster father of Québécois referendum for independence, and preceded, albeit in a more philosophical, by Pierre -Joseph Prudhon (left photo), French anarchist coiner of the idea of \u200b\u200bthe order. Today, these historical theories regional Europe and open to dialogue are mainly represented in Belgium - by Guy Verhofstadt in particular - and Spain, and should be heeded and followed, especially in a nation without a state like ours.
not continue with the Treaty of political philosophy not to bore anyone. If someone like me to know more about contacts . I am happy to discuss.
Nationalism
"Every human community with a reference common to their culture and their own historical tradition, developed over a specific geographical area [...] constitutes a people. Every people has the right to identify themselves as such. Every people has the right to assert itself as a nation . " (Universal Declaration of Collective Rights of Peoples - CONSEU, Barcelona, \u200b\u200bMay 27, 1990).
This is not about nationalism in the vulgar sense of the term, but of recognizing what he has done in a way quite astonishing anti-European right-handed Swiss the collapse of a system ormai impotente , quale quello degli Stati sorti, in maniera più o meno definitiva, dal termine della Prima Guerra Mondiale. Si tratta di stabilire un nuovo ordine istituzionale continentale, per dare nuova linfa ad un’Europa ferma , sovrastata in termini di energia e crescita – economica, culturale, morale – non solo dal Nordamerica ma ormai anche dall’Asia, dall’Oceania e, ben presto, dal Sudamerica.
Io nell’Europa unita ci credo . E credo anche nelle regioni e negli individui che vi vivono, quali elementi di crescita per un’Unione davvero attenta alla coesione del territorio che rappresenta. Someone around Europe - from Flanders to Catalonia, from Scotland to Montenegro, Macedonia to the Åland Islands - he understood. and Valle d'Aosta?