Leadership, Italian Style

 “Politics have no relation to morals.” So wrote Italian philosopher and leadership guru Niccolò Machievelli. How chuffed he’d be no doubt, 500 years on, to see his fellow countryman Silvio Berlusconi prove his renaissance musings to be bang on the money. Curiously though, Italy’s Prime Minister doesn’t really conform to the crafty, ideal of the Machiavellian politician. On the contrary, his record of scandal, cock-up and corruption are obvious to all. It’s just a wonder that the Italian public never seem to care enough to call him on it.

Berlusconi’s ability to reach the “bellies” rather than the “brains” of ordinary Italians is legendary. Owning most of the country’s media outlets is obviously a big leg-up but that doesn’t fully explain his continued success. In the eye of the storm of sex scandals that prompted even his long-suffering wife to finally jump ship, the Italian public never deserted him, handing the governing conservative coalition a resounding victory over the centre left opposition in last June’s European Elections.

More extraordinary is his uncanny skill in manouvering himself above the law. In 2008, he pushed through a bill that granted him immunity from prosecution while in office. This immediately blocked a high profile corruption case being filed against him. The fact that his former tax lawyer David Mills (estranged husband of Tessa Jowell) had already been found guilty of taking his bribe was neither here nor there. Berlusconi was immune. Case closed.

Unfortunately for Italy, his cavalier relationship with the truth and his hamfisted approach to diplomatic relations wins him few friends abroad. Claiming credit for giving Nicolas Sarkozy his wife Carla Bruni, calling the American first family ‘tanned’ and circulating his doodles of women’s underwear around the Copenhagen climate conference are hardly likely to put him on the shortlist for the Nobel Peace Prize. The smart thinking is that internationally, he’s isolated, with only Russia’s president, Dmitry Medvedev a close ally.

And there is some evidence that things will get tougher for him at home. 2009 certainly ended badly. The repeal of his immunity law has exposed him to prosecution once more and the bizarre incident where he was smashed in the face with a souvenir cathedral left him with a broken nose and battered teeth.

But of all his dubious leadership qualities, his survival instinct is the most perfectly honed. More than popular, he’s been called inevitable. And with few credible opponents, no heirs and with a muzzled and lapdog media, he’s likely to be around for a good while yet. To quote Mr Machiavelli again; “One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived.”

For further information please contact Paula Morris. T: 029 2047 4401 E: p.morris@capitallaw.co.uk

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