Italy’s fragile new government is unlikely to stay for the long haul.

This week a new Italian government was finally sworn in and approved by Italy’s Parliament, following months of uncertainty after the country’s elections in February. James Walston assesses the new cabinet, noting that it is intentionally dominated by low profile figures to avoid antagonising the main participating parties. He argues that the government will be under immediate political pressure and could be further undermined by Silvio Berlusconi’s on-going legal battles.