Giorgia Meloni and the Myth of Italian Political Volatility

Since 1946, Italy has cycled through 68 governments and 31 prime ministers, with the average cabinet lasting roughly 14 months. These figures often skew perception; the Italian definition of a new government includes major cabinet reshuffles, even when the prime minister remains unchanged. Historical extremes range from Amintore Fanfani’s 22-day tenure in 1954 to the rare administrations surpassing 1,000 days, such as Silvio Berlusconi’s second government, which held power for 1,412 days.

The instability stems from a constitutional requirement demanding the confidence of both the lower house and the Senate. This bicameral system, combined with proportional representation, traditionally granted small coalition partners outsized leverage. Yet, this volatility rarely equated to a total shift in political trajectory. Throughout much of the post-war era, the Christian Democrats anchored the government, ensuring policy continuity despite changing faces at the top. Notably, nine of Italy’s 18 post-war legislatures completed their full five-year terms, proving that the parliamentary engine often outlasts the cabin crew.