Explore the impact of European politics under Silvio Berlusconi. Gain insights into his tenure and influence as a prominent figure in the political landscape.
European politics under Silvio Berluscon
Explore the impact of European politics under Silvio Berlusconi. Gain insights into his tenure and influence as a prominent figure in the political landscape.
Table of Contents
For a very long time, flamboyant, controversial Silvio Berlusconi—a four-time prime minister and a significant coalition member in Italy's current government—was simultaneously revered and despised.
Il Cavaliere, or "the Knight," as he is known at home, will not be quickly forgotten. Additionally, he leaves a permanent Berlusconi imprint on European politics.
I have been following Silvio Berlusconi's political career from the beginning, first as a student and then as a journalist. After he won his first election in 1994, I wrote a university dissertation titled "Il cammino inarrestabile di Silvio Berlusconi - The unstoppable rise of Silvio Berlusconi."
Simply put, that year, Berlusconi sparked a political earthquake in Europe, the effects of which will be felt long after his official funeral on Wednesday.
In the 1990s, having a business tycoon, former cruise ship singer, and overall blatantly obvious non-career politician in charge of a key EU and Nato military alliance member like Italy appeared revolutionary.
Video Source: Netflix
At a time when Brussels was the center of the political strengthening of the European project, Silvio Berlusconi promoted a more nationalist, "Italy First"-style narrative.
He once advised EU leaders at a summit to speak more about women and football, according to someone in the room who spoke to me.
At home, Berlusconi joined a coalition government with the post-fascist far-right, which had previously been frowned upon in post-World War II Italy. As a result, they became more socially acceptable.
He made an effort to be politically incorrect while claiming to speak "ordinary people's" vernacular. He was also unapologetically utilizing his media empire to his political opponent's detriment. He later tried to amend Italian law to escape prosecution, showing another obvious disdain for the legal system.
Does the political playbook of Berlusconi sound at all familiar?
He is, in many ways, the originator of European populist nationalism today. Many aspirational right-leaning politicians and political movements across the continent have elements of his political recipe.
Think: Victor Orban of Hungary, several Austrian governments, Marine Le Pen of France, and others also expressed their public condolences for Mr. Berlusconi's passing on Monday.
You may also make comparisons further afield, like with Mr. Berlusconi's favorite former US President Donald Trump.
He favored political strongmen like Vladimir Putin, with whom he had a close friendship. Even a duvet cover adorned with both men's faces is reported to have been his present to the Russian president. President Putin referred to Mr. Berlusconi as a "dear person, a true friend" after learning of his passing on Monday.
You may also make comparisons further afield, like with Mr. Berlusconi's favorite former US President Donald Trump.
He favored political strongmen like Vladimir Putin, with whom he had a close friendship. Even a duvet cover adorned with both men's faces is reported to have been his present to the Russian president. President Putin referred to Mr. Berlusconi as a "dear person, a true friend" after learning of his passing on Monday.
A stark contrast to his tense interactions with Germany and France, Italy's traditional allies.
Allies of Italy were concerned about Italy's ties to Moscow, particularly during the invasion of Ukraine when Mr. Berlusconi was back in coalition power.
At the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels, he was universally mocked and despised.
Even when Italy was plagued by the 2008 economic crisis, Berlusconi failed to turn around his country's fortunes or even significantly alter Italy despite the rhetoric, exaggeration, and nearly unrelenting optimism political act.
The true difference he made, however, was in the way he encouraged and inspired a new generation of ambitious politicians on the larger European political scene.
Article Source: bbc
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