Still a difficult democracy? Italy between populist challenges and institutional weakness

Abstract

The rise of a powerful populist challenge constituted by the MoVimento Cinque Stelle has undermined the political equilibrium of the last 20 years, while the institutional inertia of the parliamentary system has left the country without alternative tools of government notwithstanding the political stalemate. It was necessary to have recourse to reconfirmation of the incumbent president of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, to overcome the obstacles in the way of the formation of a government. Can Italy continue to be jeopardised by the weakness of its parties and the polarisation of their leaderships? Herein resides the puzzle of Italy’s ungovernable democracy.