MARTA MALASPINA

In 2010, Italy faced high levels of public debt due to a financial crisis and the Italian Parliament enacted austerity policies. As a component of these policies, Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini proposed what became known as the "Gelmini Decree," an education reform bill with education budget cuts and the loss of thousands of jobs in the education sector. Students, teachers, and researchers believed the proposed education reform bill would decrease the quality of education in Italy. Using the "We won't pay for your crisis" slogan as their rallying cry they have said the government was sacrificing the national school system in hopes of alleviating the effects of the global financial meltdown on the local economy.

Thousands of people marched throughout Italian cities protesting the education reforms, they occupied streets, universities, monuments, party venues.

Political practices of the Onda movement generally reflect the traditional ones of the student movements of the second half of the '900: marches, demonstrations sedentary (sit-in) and occupations of universities and schools. In particular, the latter practice has seen the largest wave of occupations of university faculties by 1977. The movement has also presented a tendency to extend the student protests as much as possible in the social metropolitan, frequently using the practice of "manif-sauvage " spontaneous parades, impromptu and unauthorized, which tend to involve them in a complete roadblock.

Clashes between police and protesters injured many people. Protests have been going on for several years.

The reform of compulsory education was established in 2009, while for the secondary school in 2010. As regards the universities, the law has been promulgated in 2011. The move is part of the largest international recession and a lack of credibility of the political world, as well as growing social unrest.