The Italian general election of 2008 : Berlusconi strikes back

Abbreviations AN National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale) CDA Christian Democrats for Regional Autonomy (Democrazia Cristiana per le autonomie) CdL House of Freedoms (Casa delle libertà) CDU/CSU Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (Germany) CEI Italian Bishops' Conference (Conferenza Episcopale Italiana) CIACE Committee for European Community Affairs (Comitato interministeriale per gli affari comunitari europei) CIRCaP Centre for the Study of Political Change (Centro Interdipartimentale di ricerca sul cambiamento politico) Cover......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 List of Figures......Page 8 List of Tables......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 11 List of Abbreviations......Page 12 List of Contributors......Page 14 Introduction: a Guide to the Election and ‘Instructions for Use’......Page 18 Part I: The Context......Page 40 1 The Political Context: 2006–2008......Page 42 2 The Economic Context......Page 60 3 The EU and International Contexts......Page 79 Part II: The Run-Up to the Election......Page 100 4 The Parties of the Centre Left......Page 102 5 The Parties of the Centre Right: Many Oppositions, One Leader......Page 119 6 The Processes of Alliance Formation......Page 135 Part III: The Campaign......Page 152 7 Campaign Issues and Themes......Page 154 8 The Low-Intensity Media Campaign and a Vote That Comes from Far Back......Page 167 9 The New Technologies: the First Internet 2.0 Election......Page 188 Part IV: The Outcome......Page 208 10 Italian Voters: Berlusconi’s Victory and the ‘New’ Italian Party System......Page 210 11 A Different Legislature? The Parliamentary Scene Following the 2008 Elections......Page 228 12 The Formation of the Fourth Berlusconi Government......Page 245 Conclusion: a Watershed Election?......Page 260 B......Page 272 C......Page 273 D......Page 274 E......Page 275 G......Page 276 K......Page 277 M......Page 278 P......Page 279 S......Page 281 U......Page 282 Z......Page 283 In this book leading academics provide comprehensive analysis of an election whose outcome has been perhaps the most dramatic in Italian history. Covering the political, economic and foreign-policy background, the campaign and the outcome, the book offers a sequel to earlier volumes on the 2001 and 2006 elections -- thus giving the added value of a work allowing direct comparison of 2008 with the previous elections -- while providing important insights into the current trajectory of Italian politics. Like the previous volumes, the book begins with the context in which the election took place -- before considering the preparations made by the two main electoral coalitions in the lead up to the campaign; the campaign issues; the role of the media; the electorate; the new parliament; the new government. Accessible to both specialists and the interested general reader, this book is essential reading for academics, election analysts, journalists and policy-makers alike

A lively account of the general election of 2008 and of its profound significance for Italy and beyond. It gets to grips with the complexities of Italian politics in an exceptionally clear way. Covering the background to the election, the campaign, the parties, voting and the outcome, it is comprehensive in approach and tells a fascinating "story."