Italy's Five Star Movement Is Reckless on the Euro

Italy's Five Star Movement, which is on track to win the most votes in next year's election, likes to portray itself as the party of transparency and honesty, in contrast with the opportunism of the mainstream political forces. When it comes to Italy's membership of the euro, however, Five Star are showing the same kind of reckless expediency they attack their rivals for.

The anti-establishment movement has long said it would hold a referendum on whether Italy should stay in the single currency. Its politicians have typically refused to say how they would vote in such a plebiscite. This has led to some bizarre outcomes: Two weeks ago, Laura Castelli, a Five Star MP, did not want to say whether she would back Ital-exit because how one votes is a secret. She then added she did not know how she would vote.