• G8
• Issue 2

Italian prime minister Romano Prodi aims to work hand in hand with German chancellor Angela Merkel on environmental issues. Both leaders hope to convince the US to set long term climate change targets.

Prodi also met with Irish rocker Bono to discuss environmentalism.

Strong attacks from opposition parties in Italy resulted in poor local election results for his centre-left coalition partners. Vincenzo Visco, a former finance minister and who is now Prodi's deputy, was also forced to recant his tax policy.

"Prodi is giving Italy to Berlusconi on a silver platter," said Pier Ferdinando Casini, leader of opposition party the Christian Democratic Union.

That certainly seems true on the economic front.  At just 1.9 per cent, the International Monetary Fund said Italy has the slowest growth rate in the G8 for 2007. 

Given his domestic challenges, the international focus of the G8 and meetings with Merkel and Bono are sure to be a welcome - if temporary - relief for Prodi.