I believe that in Europe, we have a collective leadership.

There was in Italy a hidden demand for a boring government which would try to tell the truth in non-political jargon.

In the area of macroeconomic policies, I think we'll see more centralization, like in the budgetary sphere.

I am certain that most Germans have instinctive liking for Italy, just as Italians admire Germans for their many qualities.

Europe has to avoid old prejudices and new ones. That means north versus south, rich versus poor.

If governments let themselves be fully bound by the decisions of their parliaments without protecting their own freedom to act, a breakup of Europe would be a more probable outcome than deeper integration.

Italy even in the future will not need aid from the European Financial Stability Fund.