How Silvio Berlusconi paved the way for populist politics

Flamboyant, arguable Silvio Berlusconi - a four-time premier curate and a cardinal conjugation spouse successful Italy's existent authorities - was envied and admired, loathed and derided successful adjacent measurement for many, galore years.

Nicknamed Il Cavaliere - the Knight - helium volition not easy beryllium forgotten astatine home. And helium leaves an indelible Berlusconi-shaped stamp connected European authorities too.

I followed his governmental vocation from the commencement - aboriginal arsenic a writer but firstly arsenic a pupil - penning a assemblage dissertation entitled "Il cammino inarrestabile di Silvio Berlusconi - The unstoppable emergence of Silvio Berlusconi" aft helium won his archetypal predetermination backmost successful 1994.

Berlusconi rather simply acceptable disconnected a governmental earthquake successful Europe that twelvemonth - the aftershocks of which volition inactive reverberate agelong aft his authorities ceremonial connected Wednesday.

It seemed revolutionary backmost successful the 1990s to person a concern tycoon, erstwhile cruise vessel crooner and mostly screamingly evident non-career person astatine the helm of important EU and NATO subject confederation subordinate Italy.

That was a clip of governmental deepening of the European task focused successful Brussels, but Silvio Berlusconi pushed a much nationalist, "Italy First" benignant of narrative.

I was informed by idiosyncratic successful the country that helium erstwhile told EU leaders astatine a acme they should talk much astir women and shot instead.

At home, Berlusconi jumped into conjugation authorities with the post-fascist far-right - until past a taboo successful post-war Italy - rendering them much socially acceptable arsenic a result.

He was intentionally politically incorrect, claiming to talk the connection of "ordinary people". He was besides unapologetic astir utilizing his media empire arsenic an vantage implicit governmental opponents. He displayed a blatant disregard for the judiciary too, aboriginal attempting to alteration Italian instrumentality to debar prosecution himself.

Is Berlusconi's governmental playbook sounding acquainted astatine all?

In galore ways, helium is the begetter of modern time populist nationalism successful Europe. Ingredients of his governmental cocktail are evident successful galore ambitious right-leaning politicians and governmental movements crossed the continent.

Think: Hungary's Victor Orban - who publically mourned Mr Berlusconi's decease connected Monday, arsenic good arsenic much than 1 Austrian government, Marine Le Pen of France, and more.

You could besides gully parallels further afield - with erstwhile US President Donald Trump, for example, whom Mr Berlusconi admired.

He had a penchant for strongmen politicians, specified arsenic Vladimir Putin, who helium was large friends with. He is adjacent said to person talented the Russian person with a duvet screen festooned with some men's faces. On proceeding of Mr Berlusconi's decease connected Monday, President Putin described him arsenic a "dear person, a existent friend".

A stark opposition to his often spiky narration with Italy's accepted friends, Germany and France.

That closeness to Moscow disquieted Italy's allies, particularly aft the penetration of Ukraine, erstwhile Mr Berlusconi was backmost successful conjugation government.

In Brussels, astatine the European Union headquarters, helium was wide viewed with derision and disdain.

Despite the rhetoric, hyperbole and astir relentless optimist governmental shtick - adjacent erstwhile Italy was deed by the 2008 economical situation - Berlusconi failed to amended his country's fortunes oregon adjacent radically alteration Italy.

Instead, the existent alteration helium brought astir was influencing and emboldening a caller procreation of ambitious politicians successful the wider European governmental arena.