The most damaging was a move by the government at the start of 2009 to double the rate of value-added tax on pay-TV to 20%.

ECONOMIST: Pay-television in Italy

Consumers may cut back on spending now that the main rate of VAT (value-added tax) has returned to 17.5% after 13 months at 15% to counter the recession.

ECONOMIST: Why there are renewed worries about unemployment

Civic Platform has promoted a single rate of 15% for value-added tax and income tax, wants to shrink government and favours faster privatisation of the state's remaining assets.

ECONOMIST: Return of the right | The

The manifesto confirms its ambitions on tax: for a lower 10p starting rate of income tax, for a cut from 8% to 5% in value-added tax on fuel, and for no increase in the 23p basic rate nor the 40p higher rate of income tax.

ECONOMIST: Clue: not John Major

Ms Farrell notes that, if the Turkish government managed to collect 90% of its value-added-tax revenues instead of the current 64%, it could lower the tax rate from 18% to 13% without sacrificing any income.

ECONOMIST: The informal economy is neither small nor benign