Politics of Italy

The man who changed the face of Italy and paved the way for the ruling far right died on Monday, but Berlusconism has risen. After Silvio Berlusconi's death, my country seems to have fallen under a spell. The major TV channels broadcast hagiographic reports of the four-time prime minister, with nostalgic music playing in the background.

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has died.

The 86-year-old billionaire and media mogul died at San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italian media reported.

Berlusconi first came to power in 1994 and led four governments until 2011.

Silvio Berlusconi, the former prime minister who reshaped Italy's political and cultural landscape while fending off multiple legal and sex scandals, has died aged 86, his spokesman confirmed to AFP Monday.

Italy's hard-right prime minister will mark Liberation Day on Tuesday, but those around her have repeatedly toyed with the historical facts surrounding Italian Fascism and those who fought against it.

But a police raid on our newsroom was not exactly what I was expecting. None of my colleagues were. 

A 'surreal' raid

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends an EU Summit in Brussels, Belgium, March 23, 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE/OLIVIER HOSLET

Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni was named Italian prime minister on Oct. 21, becoming the first woman to head a government in Italy.

Italian senators voted on Feb. 12 to lift immunity for far-right leader Matteo Salvini, opening the way for a potentially career-ending trial over accusations that he illegally detained migrants at sea last year.

Italy faced a government crisis on Aug. 8 after Interior Minister Matteo Salvini of the right-wing League party called for a new election, saying his party's coalition with the populist 5-Star Movement had collapsed over policy differences.

Coalition leaders in Italy have agreed on the need to avoid EU disciplinary measures because of the excessive debt and the worsening budget deficit. That became clear late last night at a meeting of the Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte with his runners-up and government ministers - the leaders of the League and the 5-star Movement  parties Matteo Salvini and Luigi di Maio.

"I've met with the Serbian president, and that Serbia should become a part of the European Union is something that is geographically, socially and culturally interesting. But Turkey no, that's got nothing to do with it. But to enlarge (EU) and to intelligently include some close nations - why not?," said Salvini.