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Varieties of Anti‐Globalism: The Italian Government’s Evolving Stance on the EU’s Investment Screening Mechanism

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Calcara

    (Department of Political Science, University of Antwerp, Belgium)

  • Arlo Poletti

    (Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trento, Italy)

Abstract

In 2017, Italy, France, and Germany jointly supported the setting up of an EU-wide investment screening mechanism to strengthen the EU’s capacity to screen and eventually block foreign investments. In a few months, however, the Italian government changed position dramatically, shifting from leading supporter to staunchest opposer of this pol-icy initiative. Such a change of positioning was decisive in both watering down the initial proposal and moving for-ward with the idea of a looser mechanism coordinating national investment screening activities. This article develops an explanation of the Italian government’s changing negotiating stance. We develop an argument that stresses how two factors combined to produce this puzzling outcome. First, we stress the role of political parties as drivers of governments’ foreign economic policy choices. More specifically, we show that the preferences of the parties form-ing the Italian government after the 2018 general elections (the Lega Nord and the Five Star Movement) were crucial in shaping Italy’s evolving stance on this important issue. Second, we highlight the implications of the tension that exists between two different “varieties” of anti-globalism. While “self-proclaimed” anti-globalist political parties usu-ally combine a traditional critique of globalization and opposition to further political integration in the EU, they may be forced to prioritize one over the other when they prove incompatible. In this context, we show how Italian anti-globalist parties’ choice to prioritize anti-Europeanism over anti-globalism led them to prefer strengthening domes-tic-level institutions to screen FDIs rather than allowing the EU to acquire new powers.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Calcara & Arlo Poletti, 2023. "Varieties of Anti‐Globalism: The Italian Government’s Evolving Stance on the EU’s Investment Screening Mechanism," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 11(4), pages 177-187.
  • Handle: RePEc:cog:poango:v11:y:2023:i:4:p:177-187
    DOI: 10.17645/pag.v11i4.7037
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chilton, Adam S. & Milner, Helen V. & Tingley, Dustin, 2020. "Reciprocity and Public Opposition to Foreign Direct Investment," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(1), pages 129-153, January.
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