Italian people say “no more nukes”

Berlusconi's plans tor return country to nuclear power crushed

By Michael Smith (Veshengro)

The anti-nuclear movement won a crushing victory in Italy on Monday when well over 90% of voters rejected Silvio Berlusconi's plans for a return to nuclear power generation and if Britain but had a real democracy where referendawill be held, like in Italy and Switzerland, here the response would be the same or at least similar.

The result represented an overwhelming setback for the Prime Minister Berlusconi, who had tried to thwart the outcome by discouraging Italians from taking part. The referendum needed a turnout of at least 50% to be binding. Interior ministry figures projections indicated that more than 57% of the electorate had taken part. Greenpeace called it a historic result. Quorums were also reached in three other referendaheld simultaneously – the first time in 16 years that a quorum had been achieved in any referendum in Italy.

Official projections showed more than 95% of voters rejecting water privatisation and a law allowing Berlusconi and other ministers to cite government business as a reason for delaying trials in which they were defendants. The expected majority against nuclear power was 94%.

The Italian people have spoken out against three important things at the same time and two of them on a very important level, namely nuclear power and private water companies.

It would very much appear as if the Italians understand what to have in private hands and what not and utilities, and other essential services, do not fall into the category of private hands, and this is a good choice.

Britain has gone the wrong route ever since Thatcher when the utilities, as well as the public transport services, have been privatized.

While a monopoly is not always good neither is a cartel and many of the private companies seem to be operating as one for sure, be that in public transportation or in utilities or telecommunications.

Ever since our utilities and such have been privatized the costs for the services have gone through the roof and are – predominately – on the up and up with the services not necessarily getting better, such as the railways that have gotten worse in reliability than they were under British Rail.

We need the same kind of referendain Britain as the Italians were just allowed to vote on and I am sure that the government would be forced to make serious changes in a number of things. But, that is precisely why they will not allow such referenda.

© 2011