@6 Oh, and manage a smooth transition between governments.
He is now an old man who is looking to write his own epitaph as a benevolent patriarch in an honorable tradition, rather than a radical ideologue, so until an heir is proclaimed the next few years will see the lid kept on any squabbles.
Let’s hope he doesn’t suffer a sudden demise without preparing the ground for the succession as the cracks would then really open up (as they did here post-Blair) - it might make some of the results of the votes closer to our preferences, but there’s no guarantee in that alone. Crime policy over the next few years will be the best symbolic indicator.

I’m afraid I worry that far too much opinion here is being filtered through the grapevine to be reliable, though, and partly as a result, I won’t lose any sleep over not winning the battle of who can be hailed as the most left-wing class-warrior.

Getting onto another field, I got to hang out with some passionate rugby trainees - now there’s a social shift!

@4 thomas

> political stability means having a government that is likely to be able to command a majority

Hmm. Any government that relies on Bossi and the nutty Northern League for its parliamentary majority is by definition unstable. Not to mention in debt to a political movement from the Dark Side.

And it’s already begun.

In truth, my points were made in jest. I only hope yours are too. If not, Thomas, I suggest you have those eyes checked sharpish…

It’s easy to characterise Berlusconi as some kind of reincarnation of Mussolini, but it is a less dangerous self-fulfilling prophecy to see him as a bulwark against fascism than have either of the alternatives of a Weimaresque democracy or the resulting fanatical mania sweep across the population repeat themselves.

Much as I disagree with the politics of his alliance it does provide a clear platform to oppose and hold to account, which is far better than the incoherent mess of Veltroni and Prodi which got mired in chaos.

Anyway, last I noticed, Berlusconi hasn’t used armed force to mount a coup and bring himself to power, which is an indication of his ability to show restraint, despite his control of the levers of power which he could turn to that effect if he really was motivated to do so.

More to the point, Michael@3, that is nothing new, as it has been an ever-present throwback in modern Italy, so if that’s what you’ve seen I suggest the only change that’s taken place is in the eye of the beholder.

Come on Fiorentina.

*searches vainly using high-powered optical equipment*

If anyone sees any, could you drop me a note? Thanks.