Description
The Italian Presidency of the G20 took place at a moment of change both internationally and domestically. As of October 2020, it would have been reasonable to be sceptical regarding the 2021 Italian presidency of the G20. Beggar-thy-neighbour policies in response to the covid-19 pandemic and competition between the US and China cast a shadow over attempts at large scale global cooperation. In the US, it was unclear if Donald Trump would win a second term as president. In Italy, Conte’s government did not have a reputation for success in diplomacy. It is perhaps striking, then, that the G20 leaders’ summit concluded in Rome on 31 October 2021, was viewed as a success. This paper begins with a discussion of the global context that Italy’s presidency. It then turns to Italy’s changed domestic context and what it promised for Italy’s foreign policy and its presidency of the G20. The paper then provides comparative analysis of the Italian presidency relative to previous presidencies of the G20. That accomplished, the paper covers the four most noteworthy policy areas—health, climate change, global tax, and Afghanistan—and discusses the outcome, Italy’s role, and offers some preliminary explanations for the outcomes.
