Abstract | Silvio Berlusconi’s legacy in Italian politics has been considerable and widely studied. However, did Forza Italia’s leader change Italy’s foreign policy as dramatically as he changed domestic politics? What legacy, if any, has Berlusconi left in international politics? In this article, I will argue that Berlusconi left a distinctive although not enduring legacy in Italian foreign policy, initiating a populist, nationalist and revisionist course that partially disrupted Italy’s traditional diplomatic stance and foreshadowed a number of global trends. Berlusconi’s impact on international affairs, however, goes beyond his record as diplomat. Berlusconi provided a template, or model, that leaders worldwide widely emulated, helping to set the stage for populists everywhere. The combination of short-lived policy changes and long-lasting shifts in political attitudes constitute Berlusconi’s complex legacy in international politics. |
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