Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ROME698
2006-03-07 08:45:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Rome
Cable title:  

SURVEY OF ITALIANS' VIEWS ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE

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070845Z Mar 06
UNCLAS ROME 000698 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IT ITALY NATIONAL ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: SURVEY OF ITALIANS' VIEWS ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE


Introduction and Summary
-------------------------

UNCLAS ROME 000698

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON EFIN IT ITALY NATIONAL ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: SURVEY OF ITALIANS' VIEWS ON FOREIGN ASSISTANCE


Introduction and Summary
--------------


1. Against the backdrop of April's national elections and a
four-year drop in foreign assistance, Inter Press Service
News Agency reported the results of a recent survey February
17 indicating most Italians favor using Italian budgetary
resources to fight global poverty, rather than increasing
military or health care spending in Italy. Most respondents
also indicated politicians in the on-going electoral campaign
should outline their plans to fight global poverty.
Separately, opposition candidate Roman Prodi has committed to
a five-fold increase in foreign assistance over the next
several years. While we cannot attest to either the
randomness of the sample, or to the polling methodology
itself of the Millward Brown Delfo poll, we can say that
four Milan-based polling organizations separately claim that
foreign policy has little or no impact on elections. We
nonetheless report the results of this poll as an indication
that some in Italy take seriously Italy's abysmally low
foreign assistance, including the Opposition. When measured
as a percentage of GDP, Italy's 2004 foreign assistance was
the lowest in the OECD. End Introduction and Summary.

Survey Shows Italians Value Italy's Foreign Assistance.
-------------- --------------


2. (U) A recent survey indicates that many voters believe
fighting global poverty is important, and would like
political platforms that outline support for foreign
assistance. The survey, conducted by Millward Brown Delfo in
December 2005, and commissioned by Coordinamento Italiano
Network Internazionali, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)
network, asked 1,000 Italians ten questions on Italy's
international assistance.


3. (U) Most (79%) respondents reported electoral campaigns
should outline plans to combat global poverty, and 55% of
respondents would be positively influenced by a candidate
committed to fighting poverty. If given the choice between
spending a Euro on military spending or on reducing global
poverty, 92% of Italians surveyed choose to spend the Euro on
reducing global poverty. The survey also found that 70% of
Italians would prefer to spend a Euro on reducing world
poverty, rather than on health services in Italy.

Italy's Foreign Assistance: An Election Issue?
-------------- --


4. (U) When Prime Minister Berlusconi came to power in 2001,
Italy spent 0.20% of its Gross National Income (GNI) on
foreign assistance. Cuts in assistance have since been
gradual, but consistent. In 2006, Italy will devote only
0.12% of its GNI to international aid, one-third of the
European Union average.


5. (U) Left-center opposition candidate Romano Prodi is
using the decline in assistance during Berlusconi's tenure as
an electoral campaign issue. According to the Inter Press
News Service Agency article, he has committed to increasing
foreign assistance to 0.7% of GNI within the next several
years.


6. (U) PolOff also met March 2 and 3 with four separate
Milan-based polling organizations; each claimed that foreign
policy has little to no impact on elections.

Comment
--------------


7. (SBU) We cannot attest to either the polling methods or
randomness of the sample for the Millward Brown Delfo poll.
Further, while it may be interesting to note that most
respondents of this poll want an increase in Italy's foreign
assistance, it may be doubtful, as the Milan-based polling
organizations point out, that politicians campaigning on this
issue would win more votes, should campaign planks include
promises for foreign assistance increases. We report these
findings as an indication, however, that some in Italy have
noticed Italy's abysmally low foreign assistance, including
the Opposition. End comment.
SPOGLI