Italians back the EU, but have fallen out of love with the euro

Italy is the only country in the eurozone where per capita output has actually fallen since it joined the euro, writes Gavin Jones.

When the Italian central bank’s deputy governor joined a radio phone-in show last week, many callers asked why Italy didn’t ditch the euro and return to its old lira currency.

A few years ago such a scenario, that Salvatore Rossi said would lead to “catastrophe and disaster”, would not have been up for public discussion.