Why Italy and France are each other's closest sister nation..

[Sikeliot]

Their capital cities are considered "twin" cities and while most cities have more than one twinned city, Paris and Rome are one another's only.

Seule Paris est digne de Rome; seule Rome est digne de Paris.
Solo Parigi è degna di Roma; solo Roma è degna di Parigi.
"Only Paris is worthy of Rome; only Rome is worthy of Paris."

Since 1956.

Did anyone know about this? I just learned it now.

Obviously other nations are close to each -- Italy and Greece, France and Germany, etc. but I do think Italy and France have a special bond.

[JohnSmith]

Economically they are similar. Both had very strong socialistic leaning Labor Unions. They are both very protectionist countries and politically tend to both be center-left. Germany is more center-right.

They both are wine drinkers. Plus, they both have a rich northerner region and poorer southern region.

[Ouistreham]

Why Italy and France are each other's closest sister nation

They're not at all.

Economically they are similar. Both had very strong socialistic leaning Labor Unions.

Wrong.
Italian Unions are among the strongest in Europe (unionisation rate: 35.6%)
French Labor Unions are Europe's weakest (unionisation rate: 7.9%)

They are both very protectionist countries and politically tend to both be center-left.

Wrong again.
Italy is very protectionisdt. France not at all.
Italy is center/left, France is definitely right wing leaning.

they both have a rich northerner region and poorer southern region.

Northern Italy is rich, Southern Italy is under-developed.
On the other hand, wealth is remarkably evenly spread in France (actually, the old rust belts in our North tend to be poorer now than the new hi-tech districts in the South)

France and Italy don't have anything in common. Everything is different there: weather, food, mindset, geography etc.
France is the oldest major nation in Europe (1500 year old), Italy among the youngest (unified about 150 years ago)
France is mainly made of plains and low rolling hills, Italy is mostly made of mountains (like Japan)
The Italians emigrated by millions to other parts of the world (including France), the French are notoriously the most stay-at-home people in the world.

You cannot find two countries more different from each other. Going to Italy is for us an absolute culture shock.
That's the reason why we like to travel to Italy, just to taste the difference!

[Dandelion]

They're not at all.


Wrong.
Italian Unions are among the strongest in Europe (unionisation rate: 35.6%)
French Labor Unions are Europe's weakest (unionisation rate: 7.9%)


Wrong again.
Italy is very protectionisdt. France not at all.
Italy is center/left, France is definitely right wing leaning.


Northern Italy is rich, Southern Italy is under-developed.
On the other hand, wealth is remarkably evenly spread in France (actually, the old rust belts in the North tend to be poorer now than the new hi-tech districts in the South)

Soon it's the polentoni who will get looked down upon instead of the terroni.

[Ouistreham]

Soon it's the polentoni who will get looked down upon instead of the terroni.

I don't think so. There's no hope for Southern Italy. Wealth and industries are in the North to stay.

[JohnSmith]

They're not at all.


Wrong.
Italian Unions are among the strongest in Europe (unionisation rate: 35.6%)
French Labor Unions are Europe's weakest (unionisation rate: 7.9%)


Wrong again.
Italy is very protectionisdt. France not at all.
Italy is center/left, France is definitely right wing leaning.


Northern Italy is rich, Southern Italy is under-developed.
On the other hand, wealth is remarkably evenly spread in France (actually, the old rust belts in our North tend to be poorer now than the new hi-tech districts in the South)

France and Italy don't have anything in common. Everything is different there: weather, food, mindset, geography etc.
France is the oldest major nation in Europe (1500 year old), Italy among the youngest (unified about 150 years ago)
France is mainly made of plains and low rolling hills, Italy is mostly made of mountains (like Japan)
The Italians emigrated by millions to other parts of the world (including France), the French are notoriously the most stay-at-home people in the world.

You cannot find two countries more different from each other. Going to Italy is for us an absolute culture shock.
That's the reason why we like to travel to Italy, just to taste the difference!

No way Macron is right leaning,, he may not be the a friend of labor unions but he want to give the EU more power which is very left wing. Marine Le Penn got massacred in that election.

France has very strict Labor laws. Cannot work on Sundays and a mandatory 6 week Vacation. This is because of strong socialistic tendencies.

Italy has strong labor protection also.

[JohnSmith]

They're not at all.


Wrong.
Italian Unions are among the strongest in Europe (unionisation rate: 35.6%)
French Labor Unions are Europe's weakest (unionisation rate: 7.9%)


Wrong again.
Italy is very protectionisdt. France not at all.
Italy is center/left, France is definitely right wing leaning.


Northern Italy is rich, Southern Italy is under-developed.
On the other hand, wealth is remarkably evenly spread in France (actually, the old rust belts in our North tend to be poorer now than the new hi-tech districts in the South)

France and Italy don't have anything in common. Everything is different there: weather, food, mindset, geography etc.
France is the oldest major nation in Europe (1500 year old), Italy among the youngest (unified about 150 years ago)
France is mainly made of plains and low rolling hills, Italy is mostly made of mountains (like Japan)
The Italians emigrated by millions to other parts of the world (including France), the French are notoriously the most stay-at-home people in the world.

You cannot find two countries more different from each other. Going to Italy is for us an absolute culture shock.
That's the reason why we like to travel to Italy, just to taste the difference!

They have more economically in common than you think. There economies and populations are somewhat similar and they are both definitely center-left countries. They both have a history of strong protectionist attitudes also. Both have had communist in parliament also.

[JohnSmith]

How the fuck is this not protectionist???

Macron nationalises shipyard to prevent Italian acquisition

https://www.ft.com/content/303f7ac2-...6-c6bd07df1a3c

[Ouistreham]

Pdt Macron (from the banking business) is the most capitalist head of state you can think of.
And his contender Marine LP is the most right wing populist leader in the white world!
The left is dead in France.

Working in Sundays is WAY simpler in France than anywhere in Europe except for Britain (in London you don't feel any difference between Saturday and Sunday, it feels very outlandish...)

5 weeks annual leave in France (like in Austria or Scandinavia), 4 weeks in Italy (like in Spain, UK or Germany). Nothing special about it.

[JohnSmith]

Pdt Macron (from the banking business) is the most capitalist head of state you can think of.
And his contender Marine LP is the most right wing populist leader in the white world!
The left is dead in France.

Working in Sundays is WAY simpler in France than anywhere in Europe except for Britain (in London you don't feel any difference between Saturday and Sunday, it feels very outlandish...)

5 weeks annual leave in France (like in Austria or Scandinavia), 4 weeks in Italy (like in Spain, UK or Germany). Nothing special about it.

Macron wants a EU army and a Fiscal Union of some sort. France also runs deficits year after year. This is why I consider France Center-Left. Germany would be against this as they are Center-Right. Italy is Center-Left also but that can change with the upcoming election (but doubtful) we will see.



Compared to the USA,, France and Italy look on paper very similar,, Germany looks a little bit more Conservative than the both of them. However, they are still more socialist than the USA.