The Italian General Election of 2018 : Italy in Uncharted Territory

This book provides a lively and comprehensive account of the unprecedented Italian general election of 2018 and of its profound significance for Italy and beyond. The contributions in this volume cover the political, economic and international contexts in which the vote took place, and consider the main election contenders in the run-up to the election as well as the campaigns. The book further examines the election outcome, analysing the votes and discussing the impact of the election on the turnover of parliamentary personnel as well as examining the outcome from the viewpoint of government formation. James L. Newell is a former professor of politics at the University of Salford, UK, and currently a visiting professor at the University of Turin, Italy. He is co-editor of Contemporary Italian Politics and the author of Corruption in Contemporary Politics(2018) and Silvio Berlusconi: A Study in Failure (2018). Luigi Ceccarini is a researcher for the Laboratory of Political and Social Studies, LaPolis, at the University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Italy, where he teaches society and politics. He is co-editor of Comunicazione Politica and the author of La cittadinanza online (2015) and Tra politica e società (with I. Diamanti, 2018) Front Matter ....Pages i-xxv Introduction: The Paradoxical Election (Luigi Ceccarini, James L. Newell)....Pages 1-17 Front Matter ....Pages 19-19 The Political Context 2013–2018 (James L. Newell)....Pages 21-42 The Economic Context 2013–2018 (Michele Capriati)....Pages 43-72 The International Context 2013–2018 (Maria Giulia Amadio Viceré)....Pages 73-94 Front Matter ....Pages 95-95 The Three Perspectives of the Left and the Gradual Loss of Its Electorate (Paolo Natale)....Pages 97-119 The Parties of the Centre Right (James L. Newell)....Pages 121-138 Five Stars, Five Years, Five (Broken) Taboos (Fabio Bordignon, Luigi Ceccarini)....Pages 139-163 Front Matter ....Pages 165-165 Issues and Themes (Marco Valbruzzi)....Pages 167-190 Journalistic Narratives and Political Communication Strategies Against the Background of a Critical Mood: The 2018 Election Campaign in the Traditional Media and Beyond (Franca Roncarolo, Cristina Cremonesi)....Pages 191-215 Digital Campaigning: The Communication Strategies of the Leaders on Facebook (Cristopher Cepernich)....Pages 217-243 Front Matter ....Pages 245-245 Volatile Voters and a Volatile Party System: The Results (Alessandro Chiaramonte, Aldo Paparo)....Pages 247-270 Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Bruno Marino, Nicola Martocchia Diodati, Luca Verzichelli)....Pages 271-295 The Formation of the Government (Gianfranco Pasquino)....Pages 297-315 Conclusion: Italy in Uncharted Territory—Towards a New Era of Uncertainty (James L. Newell, Luigi Ceccarini)....Pages 317-329 Back Matter ....Pages 331-341 This book provides a lively and comprehensive account of the unprecedented Italian general election of 2018 and of its profound significance for Italy and beyond. The contributions in this volume cover the political, economic and international contexts in which the vote took place, and consider the main election contenders in the run-up to the election as well as the campaigns. The book further examines the election outcome, analysing the votes and discussing the impact of the election on the turnover of parliamentary personnel as well as examining the outcome from the viewpoint of government formation. James L. Newell is a former professor of politics at the University of Salford, UK, and currently a visiting professor at the University of Turin, Italy. He is co-editor of Contemporary Italian Politics and the author of Corruption in Contemporary Politics(2018) and Silvio Berlusconi: A Study in Failure (2018). Luigi Ceccarini is a researcher for the Laboratory of Political and Social Studies, LaPolis, at the University of Urbino "Carlo Bo", Italy, where he teaches society and politics. He is co-editor of Comunicazione Politica and the author of La cittadinanza online (2015) and Tra politica e società (with I. Diamanti, 2018)