[davidw]

They also advocate for things like gun control and health care reform in the US. I believe they've also advocated things like a carbon tax, as they give credence to the scientific consensus on global warming.

They also tend to be fairly 'practical' in their support for candidates. I recall some years ago when they absolutely laid into Silvio Berlusconi and recommended the left-wing candidate despite Berlusconi being, in theory at least, the more 'business friendly' candidate. They rightly argued that he was mostly just friendly to his own businesses.

So, yes, they are 'liberal' in the European sense, but not necessarily 'libertarian' in the US sense.

Edit: their about page is informative: http://www.economist.com/help/about-us#About_Economistcom

[crdoconnor]

>I recall some years ago when they absolutely laid into Silvio Berlusconi and recommended the left-wing candidate despite Berlusconi being, in theory at least, the more 'business friendly' candidate. They rightly argued that he was mostly just friendly to his own businesses.

I seem to recall they were rather taken with the unelected technocrat Mario Monti, as prime minister.

[davidw]

> I seem to recall they were rather taken with the unelected technocrat Mario Monti, as prime minister.

Yes, he - in theory - was in tune with their values. He did manage to accomplish a few things like liberalizing store opening hours, and this: http://blog.therealitaly.com/2015/04/16/fixing-italy-a-littl... but didn't really accomplish as much as many had hoped.

The fact that he was unelected is part and parcel of how the system works in Italy, as the prime minister is not directly elected. For that matter, Matteo Renzi wasn't either.

[danmaz74]

Berlusconi was really the most "business friendly" candidate. His own business, that is :D

[tzakrajs]

That's exactly the comment you are replying to.