Silvio Berlusconi: the return of Italy’s ‘bunga bunga’ PM
Disgraced former premier looks set to lead victorious coalition in March election
As campaigning heats up for Italy’s 2018 elections, so too does speculation about whether former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi could be re-elected to lead the eurozone’s third-largest economy.
Pollsters forecast a three-way race between Berlusconi’s centre-right coalition, Luigi Di Maio’s anti-establishment Five Star Movement, and the ruling center-left Democratic Party, led by another former PM, Matteo Renzi.
Berlusconi’s return is perhaps the most intriguing prospect, with the indefatigable 81-year-old politician once again vying to be at the forefront of Italian politics.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
After recovering from open-heart surgery in 2016, the “Comeback Kid” - as he is known by his supporters - is heading the Forza Italia (Go Italy!) party, the lynchpin of the center-right coalition vying for power in the national ballot. The vote is expected to be held on 4 March.
‘Bunga bunga’ court case
That timing may prove problematic. Berlusconi’s flamboyant personality is eclipsed only by news of his jet-setting lifestyle and numerous court appearances.
Last month, Berlusconi was ordered to stand trial over alleged witness tampering in a 2013 case related to his notorious “bunga bunga” parties and a then-17-year-old alleged prostitute known as “Ruby the Heart Stealer”. (Berlusconi was convicted but was then cleared of all charges two years later.)
The latest allegations “will lead to unwelcome publicity for Berlusconi but may not have much impact on his prospects at the election”, Reuters says.
However, a further, separate court case is playing out that could prove fatal to his leadership bid.
Berlusconi’s lawyers also appeared before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in November, arguing against a ban that prevents the former four-time PM from holding public office until 2019 because of a tax fraud conviction.
Berlusconi is “hoping for a green light that will allow him to run for prime minister” at next year’s elections, reports the Daily Mail, but the ECHR decision isn’t expected for months.
Even if Italy’s election is delayed, it must be held by May, when the current parliament’s term expires - which means Berlusconi could find himself benched.
It would be a remarkable coup if Berlusconi were to be elected prime minister for the fifth time, but even leaving aside his legal issues, is he really a viable candidate?
The return of the Comeback Kid
Berlusconi has an unparalleled skill to talk “from the gut”, exploiting the fears and hopes of listeners and “making them feel he has the simple answers to all the difficult questions (even when his claims have little to no foundation and facts are distorted at will)”, says Al-Jazeera’s Silvia Mazzini.
But what has guaranteed his success for decades “is his political acumen in picking the right enemy at the right time”, Mazzini adds.
Berlusconi has two prime enemies in the 2018 election fight: the Five Star Movement, and Italians who are so jaded by traditional politics that they no longer want to vote.
There are signs of hope for him, however. In elections on the Italian island of Sicily in November, the rightist bloc backed by Berlusconi claimed victory - albeit a narrow one - putting it in “pole position” in the national poll.
The regional Sicilian ballot “was seen as a dry run for the nationwide election, with many of the island’s problems reflecting those of the country as a whole: high unemployment, a debt mountain and sluggish economic growth”, The Guardian says.
The Times says that “the mogul proved that he was anything but dead and buried”, while Sergio Rizzo, of Italian newspaper La Repubblica, claims that the Berlusconi name alone is enough to secure up to 20% of the votes in the general election.
“It took the election of Donald Trump to remind people that Mr Berlusconi may have had a winning political formula after all,” says The Times. “As a billionaire media tycoon-turned-politician, [Berlusconi] shrugged off his conflicts of interest, delighted in being wildly non-PC, and realised that telling whoppers did not damage his standing with core voters.”
Berlusconi’s enduring popularity
Bill Emmott, a commentator on Italian politics and former editor-in-chief of The Economist, links Berlusconi’s popularity to his media empire.
“He still has three television channels and thus powerful communication abilities,” Emmott told Euronews. “Second, he is still very rich despite the decline of some of his businesses. Third, he is a good communicator and would say absolutely anything to stay in power.”
And when it comes to politicians, “Italians have low expectations”, adds Emmott.
Ironically, the polarising Berlusconi may actually be the most unifying figure in Italian politics. But can he pull together a ruling coalition?
“Yes, against all odds, we seem to be ready to give Berlusconi one more shot,” one former Berlusconi supporter, Andrea Morett, told The Washington Times. “It is at once unbelievable and absolutely predictable.”
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
A brief history of third parties in the US
In Depth Though none of America's third parties have won a presidential election, they have nonetheless had a large impact on the country's politics
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Modern royal scandals from around the world
The Explainer From Spain to the UAE, royal families have often been besieged by negative events
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published