“Power wears out those who don't have it,” late Christian-Democratic leader Giulio Andreotti used to say. He knew what he was talking about. A three-time Italian Prime Minister between the early seventies and the early nineties, he was arguably the most influential figure in Italian politics for two decades. Times have changed, though: alongside much of the western world, the country has now entered the age of populism. The coming months will prove whether Andreotti's old adage still applies to the new era.
Salvini. A failed gamble?
After the leader of the far-right League Matteo Salvini pulled the plug on an uneasy alliance with the 5 Star Movement in August, his former government partners forged a new (as uneasy) one with the left-wing Democratic Party (PD).
Many commentators believe Salvini shot himself in the foot. He was hoping to bring about fresh elections, the reasoning goes, which according to opinion polls his party was poised to win big. Last year, the League came in third, with a little over half of the votes won by 5 Star. This time around, it seemed the party would have easily confirmed the success of May's European election, obtaining the largest number of seats in the Italian parliament by far. No longer a junior partner in government then, but a mainstream political force in a position to lead a “natural” coalition of right-wing parties – perhaps even to rule on its own.
