Forza Italia
The personal party of Silvio Berlusconi, founded in 1993, which dominated the Italian center right for two decades.
Overview
Forza Italia, Go Italy, a football chant, was founded by media magnate Silvio Berlusconi months before his 1994 election victory, a party built on his television empire, business credibility, and branded candidates. It led governments in 1994-95, 2001-06, and 2008-11, the longest premiership of the Republic, before Berlusconi convictions and the 2013 collapse forced a 2013 refoundation. It survived as a junior partner of the right under Meloni, and Berlusconi led it until his death in 2023. The party pioneered the personal party, leader centered and media driven, reshaping Italian and European politics as a model of business populism.
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