Italy's political landscape

Italy appears to tourists as a museum stuck in the past with little global influence.

Jason Horowitz's memoir

Jason Horowitz, an american journalist who spent much of the last quarter century in italy, wrote The Italian Job.

Berlusconi's political impact

Silvio berlusconi dominated italy's politics for 20 years before resigning in 2011.

Berlusconi's influence on trump

Horowitz claims berlusconi set the mold for trump, the italian original before the american knockoff.

“Berlusconi set the mold for trump, the italian original before the american knockoff”

Berlusconi's coalition strategy

Berlusconi helped break italy's far right from its cave and bring it into coalition governments.

Meloni's rise to power

Giorgia meloni became italy's first far-right prime minister in 2022, four years after berlusconi's death.

Far right's european spread

Populist nationalist parties have backed or become part of governments in sweden, the netherlands, france, and uk.

Meloni's conservative agenda

Meloni has pursued a staunchly conservative agenda curtailing abortion rights and banning surrogacy.

Italy's political system

Italy's system with strong checks and balances emerged from world war ii's aftermath.

France's political contrast

France has less constitutional checks than italy, allowing president emmanuel macron to push controversial pension reforms.

Italy's economic challenges

Italy faces low salaries and aging population straining welfare and elder care.

Horowitz's personal perspective

Horowitz shows sympathy for liberal reformers but views five star movement as conspiracy theorists.

Italy's far right future

Italians may be tempted by populism but remain a nation of moderates with little sympathy for authoritarianism.

The far right's european trend

Italy's far right rise has inspired similar movements across europe including afd in germany.

The story's open question

Will the far right grow tamer as it nears power or become more authoritarian?