Shameless even by their own low standards, the gang of populists currently trying to govern Italy have attempted to exploit the tragic collapse of the bridge at Genoa for political purposes. Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister, minister of the interior and leader of the Northern League party, wasted to no time in blaming the detested European Union for the loss of life. His argument was that the EU’s budgetary restraints on member states prevents them from carrying out expensive infrastructure projects. It is, of course, wrong. All that the fiscal rules require is for member states of the single European currency to safeguard the euro’s integrity to sticking to broad limits on budget deficits and the overall level of national debt. No one in Europe has ever vetoed any scheme to make a bridge safe. Read more