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The Italian centre-right and centre-left: Between parties and ‘the party’

2007; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 30; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/01402380701500272

1743-9655

Ilvo Diamanti,

Italian Fascism and Post-war Society

An analysis of the evolution of the centre-right and centre-left coalitions from 1994 until today reveals that, notwithstanding the differences in culture and political traditions, they have both reproduced the model ‘invented’ by Berlusconi in 1994, founded on wide and heterogeneous alliances, personalisation and marketing. Put together to win elections, the coalitions are inadequate to govern, because they are strained by tensions between parties and by profound differences in their parties' electoral bases. The principal factor of unity for the centre-right is the figure of the leader, Silvio Berlusconi, while on the centre-left Romano Prodi aims to construct a single political party. From here derive the divisions: on the centre-right, between the President and the parties; on the centre-left, between the Party and the parties.