Serie ALazio’s darkest hour has turned into a whirlwind of light-heartednessFrom that shock opening match against Mantova to standing alone at the top of Serie A after ten matchdays, Rino Gattuso’s winning formula remains a mystery yet to be unravelled.byFederico Giorgetti2 NOV 26
from the Wall Street JournalFrance is in turmoil, and Bernard-Henri Lévy watches with anguish as his country sinks into nihilism“The worst thing is that the two main political forces now have a vested interest in the unrest: Le Pen because she would come to power, Mélenchon because he would take control of the streets,” the French philosopher tells the Wall Street Journal2 NOV 26
An international edition of Il FoglioPascal Bruckner on the “gigantic national banquet”, decadence and the “creeping civil war”“The rifts are evident, as is the risk of a widespread conflagration. France presents the spectacle of a country in decline, obsessed with the idea of making its own situation even worse.”2 NOV 26
An international edition of Il FoglioTowards the absolute unknownNobel Laureate in Literature Maalouf: “We could realise our greatest hopes or plunge the human race into slavery and destruction”2 NOV 26
In SpainThe two Italian victims of the Toledo train crash have been identifiedSpanish authorities have confirmed that the victims are Ana Martina Conte Grand and Daniela Millán Parlanti, confirming their inclusion among the at least 69 confirmed victims of the collision between the high-speed trainsbyRedazione2 NOV 26
A cap on magistrates’ salariesThe government is introducing a stopgap measure to curb future pay rises for magistratesIn Article 67 of the draft Budget Bill, the government has included a provision aimed at amending the method for calculating contractual pay rises for magistrates – or rather, at reinstating the method that was in force prior to the groundbreaking rulings by the Council of StatebyLuciano Capone2 NOV 26
the interviewA cautious move that is not enough to revive Italy. Ignazio Visco speaksInvesting in innovation, training and young people to boost productivity. The agenda of the former Governor of the Bank of ItalybyDavide Mattone2 NOV 26
SoundCheckA new surge in gas prices loomsOn Tuesday, Arera will announce the gas price for October for vulnerable customers. Estimates suggest a figure of around 1.8 euros per cubic metre: this would be the highest level ever recorded, even higher than the peak reached in December 2022byLorenzo Borga2 NOV 26
sense of belongingToo rational, the reformists need to rethink their approach if they are to have any influence on the leftPolitics is not just about rationality; it is also about emotions, and the ability to recognise and mobilise those emotions. When it comes to Ukraine, it seems that talking about weapons, borders and international law is not enough. We also need the emotions associated with national identity, which stir people’s heartsbyClaudia Mancina2 NOV 26
The fourth estate halvedThe news industry is struggling in Donald Trump’s imperial AmericaThe US President detests the liberal press and fringe TV channels. The consensus-building machine and its tentacles reaching into social media. The new masters and the pitfalls of the digital world. A report on the eve of the mid-term electionsbyStefano Cingolani2 NOV 26
towards the voteAll the populist movements in the running for the mid-term elections (beyond Trump)America goes to the polls. Trump is no longer as popular as he used to be, but neither are the Democrats. The Democrats are divided, the polls suggest a turning point, and there are unresolved issues at the White House. It is impossible to predict how the president will react in the face of defeatbyAndrea Graziosi2 NOV 26
at the weekend in WarsawIn Poland, the coup is directed against the rule of law and dates back to 2015The Tusk–Nawrocki conflict and the destabilising interpretations of the anti-European far right. The problem of how to dismantle an illiberal democracybyDavid Carretta2 NOV 26
from New YorkYeman Crippa’s thirteen extra seconds at the New York MarathonThe Italian runner finished second behind the Swede Andreas Almegren. With this result, he has automatically qualified for the marathon at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics: “Beyond the result, I’ve come to appreciate the uniqueness of this marathon.”byStefano Vegliani2 NOV 26
Formula 1Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the Formula 1 world championIn Mexico City, the Italian driver finished third and celebrated his title between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, on a podium featuring eleven world titles. There are good reasons to believe that the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history will not be a one-off winner.byFabio Tavelli2 NOV 26
Il Foglio’s supplementsThe New West. The passion for prairies and ranches that has made them more romantic (and more expensive)Wyoming, Montana, Idaho: the last bastion of the Frontier. Thanks to series such as “Yellowstone”, they have entered the collective imagination. Between speculation and resistancebyFrancesco De Leo2 NOV 26
the weekend supplementsThe Secrets of "Il Trovatore". The adventurous life of a masterpieceCavour singing ‘Di quella pira’, the C in the chest register that was never written down, quarrels and bereavements. An opera born of a thousand contrasts. The libretto was in Spanish and Verdi never read it in the original. Giuseppina Strepponi’s home-made translationbyMario Leone2 NOV 26
MagazineE.T.’s father is Italian and has been honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of FameCarlo Rambaldi, a master of magic, has earned a star on the Walk of Fame for his ability to breathe life into mechanical creatures. From Spielberg to Lynch, even in the age of artificial intelligence, there is still room for his handcrafted creationsbyGiulio Silvano2 NOV 26
the weekend supplementsThe year of stolen masterpieces. Since the Louvre heist, there has been an endless string of art theftsWorks of art are often used as a means of payment, either directly or indirectly, in large-scale drug deals or arms trafficking. But behind this, there are no longer the sophisticated thieves of yesteryearbyPaolo Valentino2 NOV 26
The Dog ManLife and literature are reflected in Piero Scanziani, a giant adored by a small circle of devoteesA journalist, writer and the creator of the Neapolitan Mastiff, he lived through the twentieth century without ever allowing himself to be pigeonholed. He hosted Montanelli, won Eliade’s admiration and then, at the age of seventy, found a new love and a second youth. A portrait of an unconventional intellectual, rediscovered today thanks to the reissue of his booksbyFrancesco Palmieri2 NOV 26
series of seriesKillers, love stories and mid-life crises. This week’s TV seriesFrom "Dexter Resurrection" to "Yaga". Four titles that defy genres and expectationsbyMariarosa Mancuso2 NOV 26
from The New CriterionLionel Shriver against those who ramble on about ‘genocide’According to the American writer, “for armchair revolutionaries, being perpetually thwarted is a blessing that allows them to preserve their resentment, fury and purity”.2 NOV 26
THE EDITOR’S EDITORIALPraise to the real pro-Palestinians. And they’re not the ones running riot in the WestSupporting the Palestinian cause cannot mean justifying Hamas, violence against civilians or hatred towards Jews. On the contrary, it also means condemning the radical Islamism that holds Arab countries hostage. There are many examples in the Middle EastbyClaudio Cerasa2 NOV 26
the video storyLucca Comics & Games: sixty years of nerd revolutionToday, comics, video games, cosplay and role-playing games have become mass cultural phenomena, and there is no longer any need to be ashamed of being a nerd. The 60th anniversary of Lucca Comics & Games tells this story: a transformation that affects not only entertainment, but entire generations of enthusiastsbyGianluca De Angelis1 NOV 26
ODD FACESGiuseppe Pedersoli: “My father, Bud Spencer, was a master of joy”“His secret? Simple songs and the power of a beaming smile. He was sorry he couldn’t play well; he regarded Lucio Dalla and Pino Daniele as two great poets: ‘Quando’ was perhaps his favourite song.” InterviewbyFrancesco Palmieri1 NOV 26
The SituationThe countdown and the pitfalls in the run-up to the elections The Lega claims it wants to hold the vote at a leisurely pace, in September. Forza Italia says the same, though it is unclear whether they are bluffing. Meloni has instructed her MPs to act as if the vote were to take place in the spring, and she genuinely believes this will be the case. However, there are certain laws that can help us understand the political landscape over the coming monthsbyClaudio Cerasa1 NOV 26
Demolish, rebuild and be rebornReconstructing the eternal. The lesson from the Ise Shrine on how not to lose sight of the sacredIn this ritual – so technical and so deeply rooted in time and programming, as if it were the blueprint for a colossal enterprise – there lies, paradoxically, an attempt, difficult for us to grasp, to immortalise human activity, or, rather, to seek the eternal in human activitybyMichele Silenzi1 NOV 26
Roma Capoccia“Gli sconosciuti”, Dante Ferretti’s Roma, somewhere between Fellini and ScorseseThe book, recently published by Rizzoli and written by the Oscar- and Nastri d’Argento-winning costume and set designer, is a memoir that explores cinema and the capital, regarded as a safe haven for those not born on its streetsbyAndrea Venanzoni1 NOV 26
The editorial in Il FoglioThis strange boredom that drives those who lie down yet are always on their feetThere may be a less fleeting explanation for the high cost of living and the dilapidated state of schools than the inflammatory spirit that takes over the squares on Saturdays. And one that contradicts the country’s average levels of happiness and well-being, which are not actually that low.byGiuliano Ferrara1 NOV 26
GRAN MILANOMind, the former Alfa in Arese and the rise of data centres. The Sempione-Laghi triangle is still awaiting a developer.It’s not just about business and industrial units. A less frequently considered but crucial aspect is the social impact that will be felt within a few years in the western sector, where local authorities are currently feeling the pull of Milan, particularly amongst young people. What’s new (with a few unknowns) on the western front byGiovanni Seu1 NOV 26
Cohen’s bookBuild to LeadFrom Jean-Louis Cohen to Trump, architecture reflects the ambiguous relationship between power and politics: regimes use it to legitimise themselves, construct a national memory and represent their ambitions. But the buildings of power can also become targets of political violencebyAndrea Bentivegna1 NOV 26