Fremdsprachenpolitik in Italien heute – English only?

This contribution investigates the question, what have been the consequences of the process of European integration and globalization of the world market for the Italian educational system, particularly for learning foreign languages. First, the foreign language skills of the Italians will be analysed. According to a national data collection they do not satisfy international standards. The defaults can be explained by the deficiency of educational policy in the past. Next to be discussed will be the radical restructuring reform of the school and university system: this reform reflects the meaning of multilingualism as the linguistic and cultural plurality proclaimed by the European Community. But despite the explicit goal of the European Union to conserve pluralism in the study of language, Italian politics show questionable tendencies to further strengthen the role of the English language. According to a statement made on October 22nd 2008 by the Prime Minister of Italy at that time, Silvio Berlusconi, about the ‹questione linguistica› during a press conference, I would like to explain the system after which languages are being taught in Italian schools. The essay keeps an eye constantly on the position of the German language and of German studies in general. Finally the improvement of German as a scientific language, as a desideratum of a cultural and educational german policy in the long term, and the meaning of language multiplicity in the age of lifelong learning will be underlined