Here's a useful political rule of thumb: The more inflated the rhetoric, the less serious the crisis.

Now read on.

"From today, the Alps have become higher," said an op-ed piece this week in Italy's la Republicca newspaper.

"The Italian government has made a series of outrageous declarations. Their latest interference is a provocation and unacceptable," the French Foreign Ministry said.

"This is the worst crisis since the declaration of war in 1940. We can offer little in response to this gallic vengeance served cold," Lucio Caracciola wrote in a commentary in la Republicca.

This is France and Italy, supposedly friends and neighbours, engaged in verbal warmongering. And what actually has happened? The French have withdrawn their ambassador to Rome because the Italian vice-premier met leaders of the "gilets jaunes" (yellow vests) inFrance last Tuesday and backed their anti-government movement.

Not surprisingly, the Italians have won the exaggerated rhetoric competition. The "higher" Alps alone guaranteed that.

Italy 'more to lose' in confrontation

But the French hold more political cards.

Read the anguished editorial of the respected Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera: "What is happening to Italy? The economy is in trouble, children are no longer being born and the political vessel is navigating without instruments. Italy has much more to lose in this confrontation, having chosen disdainful isolation at a moment when relations between Paris and Berlin are becoming much closer."

Beneath the rhetoric there is genuine anger, particularly at the top level in France. President Emmanuel Macron has been severely wounded by the weekly demonstrations organized by the gilets jaunes. His popularity has plummeted