Italian Politics

Following the major upheavals of 1993, the Italian political system suffered intense aftershocks tied to the renewal of the political class in 1994. There were shattering changes in the party systemin particular the birth of Berlusconi's Forza Italiaand the first majoritarian parliament was established. In this latest edition ofItalian Politicsall the crucial issues that defined Italian political and social life during 1994 are discussed and interpreted by renowned scholars from Italy, the United States, and Britain, who provide an indispensable guide for understanding Italy's transformation.

Richard S. Katz is professor and chair of the Political Science Department at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Piero Ignazi is senior lecturer of comparative politics in the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Bologna.