国际英语新闻：Italy lacks energy for economic revamp

ROME, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Italy lacks the necessary energy and strength for an economic revival while unemployment and poverty are on the rise, warned a report issued Friday.

The 44th edition of the Censis think tank social survey, the most important yearly report on the state of the country, depicts indeed a gloomy outlook.

Italy appears to be "flattened on itself and incapable of a revamp" while "Italians seem to have lost hope, desires, faith, ideals and sense of legality."

According to Censis, despite having exited the global crisis its long-lasting effects are still hitting Italy's families and workers and no concrete solutions have yet been found.

There's a general, wide feeling of precariousness. Family savings are falling, over 90 percent of unemployed people live on the verge of poverty while 40 percent of Italians worry about what their economic state will be.

The report praised the government's measures in boosting fiscal discipline and cracking down on tax evasion, but stressed that the fiscal pressure was still far too high.

The highest drama, however, regards the "civil conscience and virtues."The think tank pointed out that the lack of confidence in the future and safety has triggered violence and a sense of " interior emptiness."

Referring to the ongoing political crisis, Censis Director Giuseppe De Rita argued that a change in leadership was ripe because Italians were tired of "superman"kind of leaders. "Silvio Berlusconi is an icon of subjectivism, a cycle started 50 years ago which is now waning,"said De Rita, adding that citizens today wanted a leader that inspired them sense of responsibility.