Italian politics is back in Circus Maximus mode with Matteo Renzi living up to his youthful nickname “Rottamatore” (the Wrecker), bringing down Giuseppe Conti’s government by pulling out of the ruling coalition. Thereby making himself even less popular than before. Round and round they go, now aiming for the country’s 67^th government since the war.

  Renzi’s raison d’etre was to object to the handling of the pandemic, with Italy having one of the highest rates of infection and numbers of deaths (comparative to population) in the world.

  The Italy 17 March 1961 Turin chart is has been logjammed through 2020 with Solar Arc Saturn square the Pluto and heavily disrupted by tr Uranus conjunct the Pluto; with ominous signs ahead of major confusion and uncertainty in 2023. That is echoed in the Italy 10 June 1946 chart which has the end of an undermining run of tr Neptune square Sun next month and upheaval from tr Uranus square the Pluto in April; but much worse in 2022/23 from Solar Arc Saturn conjunct Neptune followed by Solar Arc Neptune opposition the Sun and Solar Arc Pluto square Saturn.

  The Bank of Italy chart, 10 August 1893, is highly strung now and in considerable disarray come late 2022 into 2023.

  Of the main political contenders at the moment:

Matteo Renzi, 11 January 1975 2.45pm Florence, is facing failure from late April onwards, on and off till early 2023 with tr Neptune square his Mars; though he’ll buck up somewhat from early 2022 with tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Jupiter midpoint running for two years thereafter.

Giuseppe Conte, 8 August 1964 2.30 Volturara Appula, Italy, has tr Neptune conjunct his Midheaven within weeks, extending over the next two years which is limp, lacklustre and not usually successful. Plus a frustratingly trapped tr Pluto opposition his Sun/Mars running on for the next few weeks and around till late this year; with hiccups and disasters over the next two months.  

  Matteo Salvini, 9 March 1973 10.50pm Milan, has Neptunian afflictions through this year but is the only one looking upbeat next month and December with a successful tr Pluto conjunct his Mars/Jupiter.

 Giorgia Meloni, 15 January 1977, 6pm Rome, has a challenging tr Pluto conjunct her Capricorn Sun in February and again late year; and a disappointing tr Neptune conjunct her Sun/Jupiter from late May onwards till early 2023. She does have some rays of sunshine this year and lucky breaks in April, May and January 2022. 2022/23 looks like fairly disastrous years for her.  

Add On: A recent poll showed more support for Italy to leave the EU. Though whether that would hold if it ever came to a referendum which would expose the gargantuan costs to Italy of repaying debt and exiting the euro. Long term yes, their own currency would make exporting more profitable but it’s doubtful if they could stand the transitional pain.

  It would be a much bigger issue than Brexit because Italy is a member of the euro currency union and the third largest economy in the eurozone, behind Germany and France. It would be “complicated enough to threaten the survival of the single currency.”  

  That being said there do look to be a good many ructions ahead from late this spring onwards, exacerbating through 2022 with the tr Uranus square tr Saturn hitting on the EU/Italy 1861 Mercury, then Sun, which could well point to a significant rupture. 2022/23 look very discouraging for relations between Italy and the EU. The EU/Italy 1946 relationship chart isn’t as stressed but points to 2023 and 2024 as years of upheaval and massive uncertainty.

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Gordon Brown, former Chancellor and PM, has stuck his head above the parapet indicating he’ll play a part in any debates about Scottish independence, following his 2014 interventions arguing to uphold the union.

  He’s been low profile since giving up his Westminster seat in 2015 and though touted for a few high profile economic jobs has stayed off the publicity radar, although lending his support to child poverty and other campaigns.  His time as Chancellor 1997 to 2007 under Tony Blair oversaw major reform of Britain’s monetary and fiscal policies, the longest period of sustained economic growth in UK history, and mounting debt. As PM, he introduced rescue packages in 2008 and 2009 to help keep the banks afloat during the global financial crisis, dramatically increasing result the national debt. His premiership was regarded as a failure with his temperament unsuited to high office. An ex-Treasury civil servant described him as ruthless and Stalinist in approach.

  Born 20 February 1951 8.40 am Glasgow, Scotland, he has a see-saw and oddly disjointed chart. His 12^th house Pisces Sun shares this hidden self-protective chart area with Jupiter, North Node, Venus and Mars also in Pisces in the 12^th. His Venus Mars oppose Saturn in Libra with Saturn square Uranus on his IC – so he will be autocratic, not practising what he preaches with Saturn Uranus; and prone to setbacks and a short fuse from Mars Saturn. His Saturn in the 6^th also indicates some health issues and he does have eyesight problems. All of that might have added up to a retiring, backroom or creative personality. But he’s also got an attention-demanding Moon Pluto in Leo in his 5^th house opposition Mercury in Aquarius. This will give him a tendency to be ego-centred, and also contemptuous, stubborn and bullying.

He’s a highly complex man who discovered much like Boris that gaining his long dreamt of crown didn’t suit him after all.

  Odd that both he and Boris fervently wished for the top spot for years (decades) and then when they got it the ceiling fell on their heads. Brown got the 2008 crash and Boris got the pandemic.  And both have afflicted Mars in aspect to Saturn and Uranus – in Boris’s case his Mars also ties into Pluto.

   Brown is up and down (like most people) in the immediate future with undermining Neptune transits to his Mars Venus this year and next. But his Solar Arc Jupiter picking up the tr Pluto trine will keep him buoyant and his Solar Arc MC is conjunct his Jupiter late 2022/early 2023 which looks like a successful phase. That coincides with tr Jupiter moving across his Ascendant in 2023 for a revival of confidence. So who knows he might manage to be on the winning side of keeping the union together.

Pic: Andrew “Skuds” Skudder

Janet Yellen, former chair of the Federal Reserve, has been confirmed as the first ever female US treasury secretary in a bi-partisan Senate vote of 84–15. As such she will be responsible for guiding the economic response to the pandemic. When at the Federal Reserve she was known for focusing attention on the impact of bank policies on workers and the costs of America’s rising inequality.

  Born 13 August 1946 (6 days before Bill Clinton), in New York, no birth time, she was an over-achiever from the start, having an illustrious academic career before moving into government advisory roles.

  She has a Leo Sun on the focal point of a mini-Grand Trine of Jupiter trine Uranus, so she is lucky as well as talented and not averse to taking risks. She also has Pluto, Mercury and Saturn in Leo sextile Mars, Venus, Neptune in Libra – determined, ambitious, enthusiastic and charming. Her Moon is either Aquarius or Pisces.

  This year’s economically challenging tr Uranus in Taurus square tr Saturn in Aquarius Leo will shake up her Pluto which will make for a disruptive few months from late March and especially May onwards into 2022.

  It would be a high stress job at the best of times so difficult influences are to be expected. But this year does look exceptionally challenging with some high hopes dashed with tr Neptune opposition her Sun/Jupiter midpoint from this March on and off into 2022. Later in 2022 will be nerve-stretched and again with hints of financially deflating circumstances.

Katie Price, former glamour model turned media personality and businesswoman, once worth £40 million and now bankrupt, has been talking on television (where else) about the anguish of having her eighteen year old son Harvey sent off to a residential care college. He was born with a rare genetic disorder affecting his eyesight, autism and Prader-Willi syndrome which can cause learning difficulties and behavioural problems. He has the cognitive age of a seven year old and is twenty stone. He is unable to control his weight, requires 24-hour care and his autism can lead to meltdowns when he becomes distressed and angry.

  Whatever you think about her, her chaotic love life and tendency to star in her own reality show, she’s cared for her son and several other children. She says “I hated him going to residential. I cried. But I was at crisis point. It was affecting the other kids, it was the danger-zone for him, smashing the house up. He needs to have his independence and I think he’ll enjoy it – make friends. I want him to be in a room with his mates while he plays the keyboard and sings his songs.”

  The move depends on local authority funding for the likely cost of £300,000 to £350,000 a year for a full time, all-year round residential student with high health care needs.

  Harvey was born 27 May 2002 at 1.15am (newspaper report), London, and like his mother is a Sun Gemini and like her also has Venus in Cancer, in his case in the playful 5th house. He has a tough Saturn North Node in the 4^th opposition Moon Pluto in the 10^th so he has not been short of challenges and restrictions in his life.

   His Mars in Gemini in his 5^th will make him expressive when it comes to anger and his Mars is trine Uranus which has a hint of volatility.  His Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius in his 1^st and conjunct his Ascendant will add to his fairly highly strung temperament with 6 Air Planets and an outspoken Sagittarius Moon.

 Katie was born 22 May 1978, no birth time, and hasn’t been short of difficulties either with a Mars Saturn conjunction in Leo, which will have attracted her to tricky partners and car-crash situations. But she’s also got a pushily confident Jupiter square Pluto and in an adventurous trine to Uranus, so she’s never lacked guts even when her common sense was lacking.  

  She’s not an ideal match for Harvey with her Mars Saturn opposition his Neptune Uranus, but she’s never been backward about displaying her affection for him and insisting that others accept him for who he is.   

  The father Dwight Yorke, 3 November 1971, a Trinidadian footballer, has never been in the picture and wasn’t a good match for either Katie or Harvey. He’s a Sun Scorpio with Saturn in Gemini conjunct both their Suns and his Saturn opposes Neptune Venus Jupiter square Mars in Aquarius. With his Mars conjunct Harvey’s Uranus, so he wouldn’t be much help.

Last week had definite signs of Boris’s government losing the plot altogether as it descended into panic over the new virus strain, scaremongering the electorate on the basis of unsubstantiated research. And Matt Hancock’s idiotic idea about paying people who had positive Covid reactions money that would have cost the Exchequer a sum equivalent to half the Defence Budget was so unhinged it didn’t inspire confidence either. It was smartly dropped.

  Whether this was hysteria breaking out, or a Trumpian style distract-and-deflect tactic as Brexit horror stories started to grow isn’t clear. Though it is becoming obvious that the cross-border EU trade problem isn’t just teething troubles. Not only has €6bn of EU share dealing shifted away from London, the fishing industry is talking in dire terms about bankruptcy. As are businesses who trade in both directions to and from the EU, some of whom are talking about having to set up offices in Europe to survive.   

  Just to cap a perfect week, polls say that Scotland and Northern Ireland want referendums on independence, with Sturgeon saying she’ll hold one whether Westminster approves or not. The economic arguments against any breakaway from the lucrative tax-generating south of England, which effectively foots the bill for the needy regions, is overwhelming. But it may not be a match for sentiment or indeed antipathy to Boris, whose Woosterish uber-English schtick, is a turn-off. Though any unification of Ireland would be a long ways off; and Sturgeon’s chart (see post below) although bullish now is running into the buffers in a couple of years.

 Boris’s Term chart, 13 December 2019 11 am London, was always heading into a swamp – indeed it started with sodden feet – with a dithering, indecisive Sagittarius Sun square Neptune. That Term Sun was not only battered by the December Solar Eclipse but is also about to collect a tr Neptune undermining square from late March onwards running into 2022. The leaden 12^th house Saturn, Venus, Pluto conjunction comes exact by Solar Arc later this year, about which there is not a whiff of freedom and merriment, quite the reverse. Plus the 9 degree Sagittarius Midheaven will be pulled this way and that by the May Lunar and December Solar Eclipses this year.

Boris’s personal chart has the exact jolting Solar Arc Uranus conjunct his Scorpio Moon now to the minute of a degree. He must be under huge pressure physically, which is one of the Moon areas. He’s still lurching from the December Solar Eclipse opposing his Mercury, Sun, Venus – and the June/December 2021 Eclipses will rattle up his Uranus Pluto and Saturn.

  He has similarities to Trump in terms of the almost psychotic levels of chaos he clearly thrives in, wrecking what lies around him.

  He does have a Water Grand Trine of Saturn in Pisces trine Moon trine North Node in Cancer (conjunct Venus Sun) and that has his South Node in Capricorn as the driving point. Water Grand Trines can live in their own reality bubble and not always connect to what’s going on – and if he defaults to his line-of-least-resistance Capricorn South Node – too much pride, self-righteous, opinionated, opportunistic – then he’ll remain stuck in his childhood patterns.

  Recent polls suggest if he went to election now he’d lose his entire majority and maybe his own seat with an electorate unhappy over his handling of the pandemic and Brexit.

  His relationship chart with the UK doesn’t indicate much of an uptick ahead, quite the reverse, with a disappointing tr Neptune opposition the Mercury Uranus and square Jupiter running now till early 2023. Plus a disastrous, resentful run of tr Pluto trine the Mars/Saturn midpoint and then Saturn through till 2024.

  By which time he’ll have caused the damage and no doubt be off in bunterish fashion to pastures new.

  As if the virus wasn’t scary enough  – having a shambling shower of incompetents supposedly in charge of Everything just puts the tin lid on it.  

Add on: Gordon Brown: UK could become ‘failed state’ without reform.

For once Brown appears to be talking sense and it might be a way out of a break-up. He advocates a federal system with more power for nations and regions

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55791179

Larry King, dubbed by Ted Turner, as “the most famous interviewer in the world” has died aged 87 after an extraordinarily successful career and an equally unforgettable though less happy private life. During a 50 year career he carried out 50,000 TV interviews with the great, the good and the famous of his day. He did little to no research, preferring to approach his guests as a viewer might and was criticised for his soft approach though, like David Frost, he often was effective at drawing out secrets.

  He had suffered multiple medical problems in recent years – diabetes, heart attacks, early-stage lung cancer, and a stroke.

  He was born 19 November 1933 at 10.38am Brooklyn, NY and had a chequered start to his career with a serious gambling problem, mounting debts, even a grand larceny charge against him for allegedly stealing money from an industrialist Louis E. Wolfson. It was dropped because the statute of limitations had expired, but he continued to face problems over bad checks and debts, eventually filing for bankruptcy. In his early forties having hit rock bottom he slowly rebuilt his career.

  His marital life was a conveyor belt of constant change, producing various children and by the time he died he was on to number eight wife who was divorcing him.

   A Sun Mercury in Scorpio trine an intense Pluto in his 7^th house of relationships gave him determination and a persuasive streak. Though he’d also end up in power struggles in his close relationships, which added to his Pluto being in a constantly-churning square to Uranus wouldn’t make for marital serenity or longevity.  He also had Neptune in his 8^th – good for creating a super-star aura – bad for commitment. His Sun/Moon midpoint, the marriage significator was square Neptune which would double up on his emotional slipperiness when it came to dedication. His colourful Sagittarius Moon in his hidden 12^th was conjunct Mars, giving him anger issues with women as well; with his Moon trine Uranus and inconjunct Pluto. Not an easy domestic life or relationship with his mother who had to bring up two children after his father died when he was nine.

  His leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17^th harmonic was heavily aspected; as was his ‘obsessive dream’ and enduring 11H.

  Unlucky in love/gambling and stratospherically fortunate in career terms. What a strange life.

Alexei Navalny’s suicidally courageous return to Russia after recovering from an attempted assassination by poisoning brought tens of thousands of his supporters out onto the streets in unsanctioned demonstrations. They were adding their voices and feet to his protests against high level political corruption, spotlighted in a YouTube film, released a few days ago and viewed 50 million times, about Putin palace on the Black Sea. This allegedly cost $1.4 billion paid for by oligarchs for the Kremlin leader. It includes an indoor ice-hockey rink, casino, vineyard and pole-dancing stage. These were probably the largest demos against Putin since 2011 when anger about a rigged election spilled out onto the streets.

  For Navalny, see post 19 January below.

  Putin’s latest 4^th Term residency chart, 7 May 2018 11.05 am Moscow hinted at a super indulgent run ahead with a Taurus Sun opposition Jupiter, but also a catastrophic, disruptive, violent, crises-ridden one with rebellious, unpredictable Uranus on the Midheaven trine a ruthless and brutal Mars Pluto. Tr Pluto is moving to conjunct the Mars from late next month one and off till late 2022, which will be frustrating, trapped and scary for his rule with the potential for violent over-reactions. The greatest instability will come in 2023/24 when tr Pluto squares the Uranus which often accompanies the collapse of an administration or the overthrow.

  Putin’s birth date is uncertain and there is a plethora of charts for Russia around the collapse of the USSR in 1991. The 8 November 1917 2.12am chart (Nick Campion) is a workable chart for tracking events. Putin came to presidential prominence on the Uranus Return and it has moved a full quarter to the square over the next two years. This February also has a highly-strung, confused tr Uranus square Neptune and the high-tension, jolting square to the Russia Saturn in Leo picking up mid this year and running into 2022, before the tr Uranus square Uranus comes exact in 2023. The Solar Arc Saturn squares the Moon (the populace) at the moment for an unhappy electorate; with indications from Solar Arcs to the Mars of anger and violence in 2023/24.  

  Upheavals are also flagged up on the Russia 28 March 1462, with the Pluto in line for a transiting Uranus hard aspect in 2023/24, as it was at the time of the 1917 Revolution.

   I can’t say that either of the later 1991 charts ever say much to me and on rootling around discover Zip Dobyns thought that Gorbachev’s resignation chart of 24 August 1991 9.32pm made more sense for modern Russia since it worked against events.  Which at the end of the day is the only thing that matters.  It indicates major aggravation over the next two years with again 2023/24 being flagged up as combustible times when resentment was likely to spill over.  

Super-talented engineer, scientist and former astronaut, Julia Payette clearly has gaps in her team building skills, having been forced to resign as Canada’s Governor General after a workplace review investigated accusations of harassment of civil servants. It’s the first time a GG has had to leave over a scandal.

   Born 26 October 1963 in Montreal, she’s a Sun Libra with a scientific Saturn in Aquarius; and an intense trio of Scorpio planets – Venus Neptune and uber-determined Mars – and maybe Moon. More significantly she has two Yods, which suit her for a distinctive path in life.  One is Pluto sextile Neptune Venus inconjunct Jupiter, which well handled does give ability as a social spokesman but can have problems with self-aggrandisement and self-righteousness. The other is Jupiter sextile Saturn inconjunct Pluto which again can be influential, though also has problems with wielding power in a modulated way.  

  She’s in a sticky year with a frustrating and trapped tr Pluto conjunct her Solar Arc Mars exactly now and a challenging tr Pluto square her Libra Sun from next month on and off for two years ahead.

  Her Term chart, 2 October 2017, did hint of aggravation and trouble ahead with a highly enthusiastic Mars Venus opposition Neptune, square Saturn and trine Pluto; and an adventurous and opportunistic Uranus opposition Jupiter. That has a potential for muddles, evasions, setbacks and ruthlessness. Her stint was never going to be seamless and serene.

  Her emphasised Jupiter falls in PM Justin Trudeau’s 10th house so he no doubt assumed she was going to burnish his image when he selected her.  

Poet Amanda Gorman was the breakout star of Joe Biden’s Inauguration with her poem ‘The Hill We Climb’, written and delivered by her to much acclaim.  

  Born 7 March 1998 in Los Angeles, she had a speech impediment as a child and has an auditory processing disorder which makes her hypersensitive to sound. She was chosen as the youth poet laureate of Los Angeles in 2014, published a poetry book in 2015, won a scholarship to Harvard to study sociology and was named the first national youth poet laureate in 2017. She founded the non-profit One Pen One Page, which runs a youth writing and leadership program.

  She has a Pisces Sun, Mercury and Jupiter spread out through Pisces with a Cancer Moon – creative and emotionally sensitive. Plus another tougher side to her personality with a super-determined Mars in upfront Aries trine Pluto, sextile Neptune, Venus, Uranus in Aquarius, and a forced-to-be-self-reliant Saturn in Aries which is widely trine Pluto and maybe square her Moon.

  She was recommended by Jill Biden and amended her poem after the Capitol assault on January 6^th. A bundle of talent who has achieved an amazing amount at a young age.

 Her three emphasised Aquarius planets suit her as a symbol of this Administration and her youth a nod to bridging the generation gap as she saluted an incoming president 56 years older than her.