Desperately Seeking a Middelman

In order to cope with its political crisis and to be part of the recovery from the European-wide recession, Italy badly needs a middelman; a person with an untarnished reputation; someone people trust. In this paper we recall the main steps that led us to the current confidence crisis. we also argue that Italy had such a middleman, Mario Monti, but his engagement in politics after he had promised not to do so has revealed that promises made even by novel politicians are hardly credible, extending mistrust to anyone who approaches politics. Thus, even if we find another Monti, believing him will be hard.