Forget Brexit — Italy is poised to tear Europe apart

[Jemmons]

Italy is on the cusp of tearing Europe apart but the economic and political crisis brewing in the nation is largely going unnoticed.

All eyes have turned to Britain's vote to leave the European Union as having the most drastic political and economic impact onto the 28-nation state but if you look at the country's economic data, bank issues, and the impending constitutional referendum coming up, Italy is like a bomb waiting to explode...



The country's financial sector is plagued by an enormous surfeit of bad loans so great that the government was, in April, forced into rallying bank executives, insurers and investors to put €5 billion (£4.2 billion, $5.57 billion) behind a rescue fund for its weakest banks. The Atalante fund is designed to buy so-called bad loans from lenders and invest in their shares in the hope that the re-energized banks will lend more to businesses and spur growth.

http://www.businessinsider.com/italys-political-and-economic-crisis-threatens-europes-stability-2016-7?r=UK&IR=T&IR=T

[Else You Are Mad]

1. Don't forget...

Greece is pretty much about to (already has) collapse as well.

The EU is in big trouble.

[Jemmons]

3. Greece economy is about the same size as Alabama

Greece: GDP (of $235.6 billion) is about the size of Alabama.

Italy is the 4th-largest national economy in Europe, the 8th-largest by nominal GDP in the world, and the 12th-largest by GDP (PPP).
GDP of $1.86 trillion (nominal, 2016)

An unstable Italy is a whole different ballgame!
And not a good one.

[PeoViejo]

2. ...and hope everyone plays nice.

...which I doubt will happen.