Tuesday, October 13, 1998

Among Roman ruins

Americans who believe impeachment is too cumbersome and time-consuming a process to change leaders in midstream may want to consider the case of Italy.

The government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi fell Friday. It was Italy's 55th government since World War II, and, at two and half years in office, its longest serving since Mussolini.

Italian political analysts called the fall "a surprise," although, because the country averages better than one government collapse a year, it couldn't have been totally unexpected. The political turmoil comes at a bad time. Italian participation is essential to any NATO intervention in Kosovo, and the country is scheduled to go to the single European currency in January.

Prodi's government fell when it lost by a single vote on a budget issue. If budget disputes were enough to bring down a U.S. administration, we would have had 55 different governments this year alone.