The narcissistic celebrity leader: Berlusconi’s communication style and its impact on Italian leadership

Abstract

ABSTRACT Among the many facets of Silvio Berlusconi’s extensive political career, his communication strategies and techniques stand out as particularly significant. This prominence is largely due to his dual role as a media tycoon and a flamboyant, narcissistic figure, both of which heavily influenced his public communication style. This article delves into Berlusconi’s communication approach as a critical element of his leadership. It examines how Berlusconi shaped his leadership image over the decades, focusing on his personality, storytelling, and the media and political marketing tools he employed to project his persona. Furthermore, in its concluding part, it investigates whether recent Italian leaders, particularly those who emerged in the 2010s after Berlusconi’s tenure, exhibit traits traceable to Berlusconi’s innovations. The article’s initial sections explore Berlusconi’s personality profile, his narrative techniques, and the media and political marketing strategies he used. The penultimate section highlights the interplay of these elements, showing how they created a distinctive, innovative leadership style linked to various facets of celebrity politics, sometimes in extreme forms. This section also addresses the legacy of Berlusconi’s leadership style, proposing that it served as a model for later Italian leaders, influencing their communication and image-building strategies. The article concludes by noting how, as a consequence, Berlusconi’s leadership model has been a transformative factor in Italian politics.