| Giulio Tremonti | ||||||
If Silvio Berlusconi and Italy's new centre-right coalition take power they will depend heavily on Milanese tax lawyer and academic Giulio Tremonti to win and maintain the trust of the financial markets.
Designated by Berlusconi to be Italy's new economic czar following the centre-right's widely expected election victory on May 13, Tremonti will have the task of reassuring Italy's European partners and world capital markets that Italy has no intention of putting the stability of the single European currency or EU enlargement plans at risk.
The 53-year-old is justifiably apprehensive. Not only will he have responsibility over the formerly distinct ministries of the treasury, budget and finance, he will also have to act as host to the upcoming G-8 economic summit in Genoa in July before rushing to prepare the government's budget for the autumn.