The Italian election: continuity, change, and Berlusconi's rebirth

Opinion polls predict that on 4 March Italians will award most seats to a centre-right coalition led by Silvio Berlusconi, who seems set to return as the pivotal figure in the country's politics, despite a recent conviction for tax fraud that means he is currently banned from holding public office. Andrea Capussela seeks to explain Berlusconi's revival, linking his fortunes to the country’s deeper politicoeconomic problems.