The death of Silvio Berlusconi this monday has left shock to his party Forza Italia, a member of the coalition of rights who currently governs Italy. However, there are many analysts who believe this could give the prime minister, Giorgia Melonithe opportunity to strengthen your leadership.
The media mogul Berlusconi founded Forza Italia when it entered the world of politics in 1994. The party has always has relied on his charismatic leadershipfor which he saw his support decrease in recent years due to the fact that the health problems limited their political commitment, collects the agency Reuters.
Forza Italia is currently the junior partner of the three major parties of the coalition and is considered a more moderate force compared to Matteo Salvini’s League and Meloni’s Brothers of Italy.
Photograph of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
He support of the 62 deputies of Forza Italia between the upper and lower house of parliament is crucial so that Meloni hold a solid majoritybut there is skepticism about the party being able to find a leader capable of avoiding a rupture.
“Forza Italia can die with Berlusconi, it’s hard to replacethis is a monarchy that ends with the king”, he explained to Reuters Giuliano Cazzola, a former deputy who was elected to parliament with Berlusconi.
Analysts believe that Forza Italia members will be increasingly tempted to change your allegiance to other parties without Berlusconi keep them afloat, which gives Meloni some wiggle room to hire legislators and expand the ranks of his party. “I hope Brothers of Italy will be attractive to members of Forza Italia,” said Lorenzo De Sio, a professor of politics at LUISS University in Rome.
The relationship between Berlusconi and Meloni has been uptight since they won the general elections together last year. first sand they fought for the war in Ukraine and Berlusconi ended up describing his authoritarian partner, arrogant and offensive.
[Berlusconi, el ‘gran emisor’ que llevó la guerra cultural a la televisión para conseguir la influencia política]
But the way that Berlusconi shaped the right-wing bloc in recent decades paved the way for rise to power of Meloni. The heirs of the post-fascist Italian Social Movement (MSI), which Meloni had joined in her youth, joined the coalition of Berlusconi in the mid 1990s, holding cabinet posts for the first time.
That triggered a long process that ended in a merger between Forza Italia and the heir to MSINational Alliance, in a single party. Meloni eventually left in 2012 to co-found Brothers of Italy.
everything stays in family
Brothers of Italy introduces itself as conservativebut often receives criticism for keeping the old symbol of the original MSI and the media occasionally publish photographs showing fascist memories in the offices of some regional politicians.
Eugenio Pizzimenti, a professor of politics at the University of Pisa, points out that the death of Berlusconi could lay the foundations for Meloni to leave permanently the post-fascist roots of his party and mark the beginning of a new political force.
God, Silvio. pic.twitter.com/hWiSNPCeia
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) June 12, 2023
“They would also need a ‘makeover’ at the international level to show that they are ready to become a all-conservative party. If Meloni plays like that, he has a good game,” he told Reuters.
Antonio Tajani, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, is the figure most important of Forza Italia within the government, but analysts and politicians doubt that he can take over as leader.
He is widely seen as a trustworthy figure and has strong credentials in the European Union after a long career in Brussels, but Pizzimenti believes it could only help Forza Italia’s transition to a new conservative party led by Meloni.
The investors are bullish about Meloni’s prospects. Althea Spinozzia fixed income strategist at Saxo Bank, said the risk associated with investing in Italy may decrease with a reduced Forza Italia.
[Marta Fascina, la mujer que ha logrado suavizar la postura de Berlusconi en el Gobierno ultra de Meloni]
However, analysts do not rule out that a political successor to Berlusconi may eventually emerge from his familywhich complicates Meloni’s efforts to cement his leadership.
Your oldest daughter, Marinewho presides over the Fininvest holding company in Berlusconi since 2005 and is 56 years old, it would be the favorite to take the reins of the party in case the family decides to remain active in politics.
Analyst De Sio said that Marina Berlusconi could go out on the pitch to preserve family influence in Italian politics. “She would be in competition with Meloni. The key issue is the wish of the family to protect their companies, which are exposed without Berlusconi“, he told Reuters.
