Abstract
Even though Berlusconi continues to be a player in Italian politics, we can critically discuss his political legacy. After years of Berlusconism, in today’s Italy it is not possible to envisage a foreign policy that is detached from the public opinion. The experience of Matteo Renzi and, above all, of the government established after the general elections of 2018 confirm that the wall between domestic and foreign policy has ultimately toppled. Berlusconi fostered the reconnection between these two political dimensions. He contributed to the shift from party-driven foreign policy to one that is more people-driven: the people not only support the government, but also influences and puts pressure on it. Berlusconi’s attitude toward international politics is connected to his notion of personal diplomacy as key factor of populism in foreign policy. However, Berlusconi remained skeptical toward a full mobilization of the Italians, thus confirming doubts on his very populist attitude.
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Diodato, E., Niglia, F. (2019). Populism and Foreign Policy in Italy: The Legacy. In: Berlusconi ‘The Diplomat’ . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-97262-6_7
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