No one has any illusions that Francis of Rome, “Pope of the Poor”, is an expert on finances. Yet, he’s been handed a clear mandate to clean up the financial and organisational mess inside the Vatican. Many people believe he’ll never achieve this unless he breaks the tight control the Italians wield inside the City State. That’s probably because of the well-founded image of Italian culture centred on unflinching loyalty to one’s family or clan. It is a culture that rewards family members and trusted friends (though not necessarily people who are most competent) with jobs and favours. This is part of a wider culture of perceived corruption that even residents of the Bel Paese lament. A recent survey published by the European Commission says that 97 per ce