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Forza Italia: A Leader with a Party

2006; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 11; Issue: 3-4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/13608740600856470

1743-9612

Francesco Raniolo,

Electoral Systems and Political Participation

Abstract Forza Italia is a new party. The manner and the timing of its entry into the political arena were totally exceptional. New, too, were its organizational structure and political culture. To understand the novelty of Forza Italia three features are relevant: the ‘product’ innovation, which consists of the leader, Silvio Berlusconi, with his personal party; the competitive innovation, related to the alliance politics opened by Berlusconi; and the innovation in political marketing. The ‘pathological fixation’ on the leader, however, brings about the absence of effective institutionalization. Keywords: Forza ItaliaSilvio BerlusconiPersonal PartyParty ChangeIdeological Hybridization Notes [1] This expression is used to describe the decrees issued in March 1995 aimed at limiting electoral expenditure, abolishing television electioneering during the electoral campaign and favouring equal access to the state television for all political parties. [2] Data drawn from a questionnaire distributed to the party delegates (468 interviewed) at the second FI congress (Milan, 27–29 May 2004); the survey was organized by the Osservatorio italiano sulle trasformazioni dei partiti politici (Italian observatory on political party change) of the Universities of Florence, Bologna, Catania and Trieste. [3] Cesare Previti was a minister in the first Berlusconi government and also the FI coordinator (1995–96). [4] Giuliano Urbani was one of the founders of FI as well as a minister in two of the Berlusconi governments. [5] This distinction is based on the different party dues paid (€50 for ordinary members, €100 for supporters and €250 for benemeriti) but this does not imply any difference in the rights and duties of members. [6] In 1998 there were 2,200 clubs affiliated to FI, with about 91,000 members. In 2004 there were about 2,700 clubs with about 104,000 members (Possa 1998 Possa, G. 1998. “Il processo di strutturazione organizzativa di Forza Italia e il futuro dei club”. 16–18. Milano: party document presented at the first FI Congress. April [Google Scholar]).