I wonder, is there any way to make the economies of southern Europe resemble those of northern Europe, with a POD dating back to the birth of the European Union, or is an earlier divergence necessary? I don't know about Greece, Portugal and Spain, but Italy pissed away a once in a lifetime chance to get rid of a lot of dirt when Falcone and Borsellino got murdered by the Mafia, the Mani Pulite trials went nowhere, and a corrupt politician with ties to organized crime (truly, the worst of both worlds) was able to rise to the top.