152-463: Silvio Berlusconi ( / ˌ b ɛər l ʊ ˈ s k oʊ n i / BAIR -luu- SKOH -nee , Italian: [ˈsilvjo berluˈskoːni] ; 29 September 1936 – 12 June 2023) was an Italian media tycoon and politician who served as the prime minister of Italy in three governments from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1994 to 2013;
304-655: A government composed by both center-left and the center-right. On 22 February 2014, after tensions in the Democratic Party the PD's Secretary Matteo Renzi was sworn in as the new prime minister. Renzi proposed several reforms, including a radical overhaul of the Senate and a new electoral law. However, the proposed reforms were rejected on 4 December 2016 by a referendum . Following the referendum's results, Renzi resigned and his Foreign Affairs Minister Paolo Gentiloni
456-523: A big blow in local elections. Particularly painful was the loss of Milan , Berlusconi's hometown and party stronghold. In response to this and to conflicts within party ranks, Angelino Alfano , the Justice minister, was chosen as national secretary in charge of reorganising and renewing the party. The appointment of 40-year-old Alfano, a former Christian Democrat and later leader of Forza Italia in Sicily ,
608-646: A confirmation of the accusation. Only two years later, the movie aired again with all homosexual sex and kisses cut off. RAI was forced again to apologise, accusing a problem" with the pre-cut edition by the distribution company and a lack of fact-checking by the RAI employee. In 2011, episode 125 of the German TV Soap Um Himmels Willen ('For Heaven's Sake'), shown in Italy since 2004, was entitled Romeo and Romeo and due to screen on Rai 1 but
760-503: A controversial figure who divided public opinion and political analysts. Supporters emphasised his leadership skills and charismatic power, his fiscal policy based on tax reduction, and his ability to maintain strong and close foreign relations with both the United States and Russia. In general, critics address his performance as a politician and the ethics of his government practices in relation to his business holdings. Issues with
912-654: A cruise ship crooner . In later life, he wrote AC Milan 's anthem with the Italian music producer and pop singer Tony Renis and Forza Italia's anthem with the opera director Renato Serio . With the Neapolitan singer Mariano Apicella, he wrote two Neapolitan song albums: Meglio 'na canzone in 2003 and L'ultimo amore in 2006. In 1965, Berlusconi married Carla Elvira Dall'Oglio, and they had two children: Maria Elvira , better known as Marina (born 1966), and Pier Silvio (born 1969). By 1980, Berlusconi had established
1064-470: A debt of € 442 million and the Italian Court of Audit was worried about the size of RAI's debt for the impact that this may have on Italian people, as the company is owned by the state. Italians must purchase an annual television licence for about €90 every year in order to legally own a TV or HDTV. It is known as Canone Rai , "Rai Tax", because it is used to part-fund the RAI. Since 2016, it
1216-405: A king to appoint a government entirely of his own choosing or keep it in office against the will of Parliament. As a result, in practice the prime minister was now both politically and legally responsible to Parliament, and had to maintain its confidence to stay in office. One of the most famous and influential prime ministers of this period was Francesco Crispi , a left-wing patriot and statesman,
1368-484: A leader because of his turbulent private life. Berlusconi was born in 1936 in Milan , where he was raised in a middle-class family. His father, Luigi Berlusconi, was a bank employee, and his mother, Rosa Bossi, a housewife. He was the first of three children; he had a sister, Maria Francesca Antonietta, and a brother, Paolo . After completing his secondary school education at a Salesian college, Berlusconi studied law at
1520-466: A little over a month until his replacement by a technocratic government headed by Lamberto Dini . Dini had been a key minister in the Berlusconi cabinet, and Berlusconi said the only way he would support a technocratic government would be if Dini headed it. In the end, Dini was supported by most of the opposition parties, but not by Forza Italia and Lega Nord. In 1996, Berlusconi and his coalition lost
1672-456: A major banking scandal and subsequently fell from power in 1896 after a devastating colonial defeat in Ethiopia. He is often seen as a precursor of the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini . In 1892, Giovanni Giolitti , a leftist lawyer and politician, was appointed prime minister by King Umberto I , but after less than a year he was forced to resign and Crispi returned to power. In 1903, he
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#17327727167811824-553: A major demonstration of the centre-right in Rome against the Prodi II Cabinet , Berlusconi proposed the foundation of a Freedom Party, arguing that the people and voters of the different political movements aligned to the demonstration were all part of a people of freedom. On 18 November 2007, after claiming the collection of more than 7 million signatures (including that of Umberto Bossi ) demanding that then President of
1976-403: A margin of 9% of the vote: 46.5% (344 seats) to 37.5% (246 seats). Berlusconi capitalised on discontent over the nation's stagnating economy and the unpopularity of Prodi's government. His declared top priorities were to remove piles of rubbish from the streets of Naples and to improve the state of the Italian economy, which had under-performed the rest of the eurozone for years. He also said he
2128-585: A member of the Senate of the Republic from 2022 until his death in 2023, and previously from March to November 2013; and a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from 2019 to 2022, and previously from 1999 to 2001. With a net worth of US$ 6.8 billion in June 2023, Berlusconi was the third-wealthiest person in Italy at the time of his death. Berlusconi rose into the financial elite of Italy in
2280-461: A member of the Cabinet, the prime minister holds specific powers, most notably being able to nominate a list of Cabinet ministers to be appointed by the president of the Republic and the countersigning of all legislative instruments having the force of law that are signed by the president of the Republic. Article 95 of the Italian constitution provides that the prime minister "directs and coordinates
2432-454: A new party called Forza Italia . He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the first time and appointed as prime minister following the 1994 Italian general election , when Forza Italia gained a majority in the Chamber of Deputies less than three months after having been launched. His cabinet collapsed after nine months due to internal disagreements among the coalition parties, and he
2584-551: A parliamentary investigation was opened. Fedez replied he was proud and ready to face the court, and he said he was available as a testimony for the RAI's Superior Commission. Fedez's accusation was one of the biggest media scandals of RAI, as not only all political parties took sides in the cause (centre and left in favour of the rapper, including ex-prime ministers Giuseppe Conte and Enrico Letta , while right and far-right parties in favour of RAI, including Matteo Salvini and Giorgia Meloni 's colleagues). The scandal increased when
2736-557: A portion of his media holdings, first to the German media group Kirch Group (now bankrupt) and then by public offer. In 1999, Berlusconi expanded his media interests by forming a partnership with Kirch called the Epsilon MediaGroup . On 9 July 2011, a Milan court ordered Fininvest to pay 560 million euros in damages to Compagnie Industriali Riunite in a long-running legal dispute. On 5 August 2016, Fininvest announced
2888-415: A pre-cut edition originally planned for the prime-time slot, and wasn't corrected when airing was shifted to the late-night slot. Critics noticed that similar scenes of heterosexual lovers were never cut out before in prime-time and reinforcing the accusation of homophobic censorship. The company rescheduled a new uncut version of the movie, but this was aired again in an even later time slot, a choice seen as
3040-440: A print edition from 1999 to 2008, closing due to poor sales. It reopened in 2012 as an online-only publication, with a handful of special-occasion independent print runs in the intervening years, including 2005 (its 80th anniversary), 2010 (switchover to DTTV ), and 2011 (150th anniversary of the unification of Italy ). The Rai Ufficio Stampa website has published programming schedules and television blurbs online since 2011 under
3192-436: A relationship with the actress Veronica Lario (born Miriam Bartolini), with whom he subsequently had three children: Barbara (born 1984), Eleonora (born 1986), and Luigi (born 1988). He was divorced from Dall'Oglio in 1985, and married Lario in 1990. By this time, Berlusconi was a well-known entrepreneur, and his wedding was a notable social event. One of his best men was Bettino Craxi , a former prime minister and leader of
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#17327727167813344-544: A totalitarian state. In 1925 the title of "President of the Council of Ministers" was changed into "Head of the Government, Prime Minister Secretary of State", symbolizing the new dictatorial powers of Mussolini. The convention that the prime minister was responsible to Parliament had become so entrenched that Mussolini had to pass a law stating that he was not responsible to Parliament. Mussolini remained in power until he
3496-408: A year would not be taxed). Secondly, he promised to halve the unemployment rate. Thirdly, he committed to financing and developing a massive new public works programme. Fourthly, he promised to raise the minimum monthly pension rate to 516 euros. Fifthly, he would reduce crime by introducing police officers to patrol all local zones and areas in Italy's major cities. Opposition parties claim Berlusconi
3648-448: A year. The conflict between Fini and Berlusconi was covered live on television. At the end of the day, a resolution proposed by Berlusconi's loyalists was put before the assembly and approved by a landslide margin. On 29 July 2010, the party executive released a document in which Fini was described as "incompatible" with the political line of the PdL and unable to perform his job of President of
3800-462: Is also considered a founding father of the European Union . After the death of De Gasperi, Italy returned in a period of political instability and a lot of cabinets were formed in few decades. The second part of the 20th century was dominated by De Gasperi's protégé Giulio Andreotti , who was appointed prime minister seven times from 1972 to 1992. From the late 1960s until the early 1980s,
3952-438: Is further limited by the lack of any formal authority to fire ministers. In the past, in order to make a cabinet reshuffle, prime ministers have sometimes resigned so that they could be re-appointed by the president and allowed to form a new cabinet with new ministers. In order to do this the prime minister needs the support of the president, who could theoretically refuse to re-appoint them following their resignation. The office
4104-405: Is how it works". RAI immediately denied all accusations and Fedez leaked a recorded audio of the conversation between him and the executives, where managers and hosts (declaring their names and roles to him) tried to censor his speech, by "asking you to adapt to a system that you probably don't get". After the video was reposted by all national media and web news sites, RAI sued the rapper, while
4256-482: Is necessary to amend the Italian constitution without a qualified two-thirds parliamentary majority. The referendum was held on 25–26 June 2006 and resulted in the rejection of the constitutional reform, with 61.3% of voters casting ballots against it. Operating under a new electoral law written unilaterally by the governing parties with strong criticism from the parliamentary opposition , the April 2006 general election
4408-464: Is referred as lottizzazione and is yet to be solved. RAI is frequently subjected to controversies and censorship accusations regarding political matters, especially civil rights and LGBT issues. The broadcaster was strongly accused in 2008 of cutting the gay love scene of the Oscar-winning movie Brokeback Mountain . RAI initially apologised for the cut, explaining that the cut was due to
4560-653: Is the head of government of the Italian Republic . The office of president of the Council of Ministers is established by articles 92–96 of the Constitution of Italy ; the president of the Council of Ministers is appointed by the president of the Republic and must have the confidence of the Parliament to stay in office. Prior to the establishment of the Italian Republic, the position
4712-727: Is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance . RAI operates many terrestrial and subscription television channels and radio stations. It is one of the biggest broadcasters in Europe, and the biggest in Italy competing with Mediaset and other minor radio and television networks. RAI has a relatively high television audience share of 35.9%. RAI broadcasts are also received in surrounding countries, including Albania , Bosnia , Croatia , France , Malta , Monaco , Montenegro , San Marino , Slovenia , Switzerland , Serbia , Tunisia , and
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4864-480: Is the sole licencee ( concessionaria in esclusiva ) of the radio, television, and multimedia broadcasting public service. For this reason, the agreement with the Government prescribes a series of rules and guarantees that RAI must follow to ensure fair public service to the citizens. Management and Board of Directors are elected by the ruling Parliament through the Parliamentary Commission for
5016-771: The DOP . The 80s saw the premiere of the monthlies Moda (1983) and King (1987), along with registering a new company name in 1987: Nuova Eri Edizioni Rai-Radiotelevisione Italiana S.p.A., or "Nuova Eri". Since the 1990s, RAI/ERI has increasingly focused on publishing books written by its own broadcast stars, both in news and entertainment. In 1995 Nuova ERI closed and reopened in 1997 as "Rai Eri". On 15 October 2018, they renamed to "Rai Libri". Rai Libri also edits technical publications: Elettronica e telecomunicazioni since 1946, Nuova rivista musicale italiana since 1967, and Nuova civiltà delle macchine since 1957. It produces its own reports on communications and media, with
5168-709: The Dictionary of Orthography and Pronunciation [ Wikidata ] , the largest Italian dictionary of its type. RAI's history in print with the Unione Radiofonica Italiana (URI)'s weekly magazine Radio Orario which debuted in January 1925 and became Radiocorriere in 1930. Edizioni Radio Italiana (ERI) was founded in 1949 in Turin, formed entirely from RAI capital to build on Radiocorriere 's success. In 1954 primary ownership
5320-573: The 1994 US elections . This was considered to be a creative masterstroke in his 2001 bid for prime ministership. Berlusconi committed in this contract to improving several aspects of the Italian economy and life, and promised to not stand for re-election in 2006 if he failed to honour at least four of these five promises. Firstly, he undertook to simplify the complex Italian national tax system by introducing just two income tax rates (33% for those earning over 100,000 euros , and 23% for anyone earning less than that figure: anyone earning less than 11,000 euros
5472-680: The 2008 general election and was elected prime minister for the third time in May 2008. In November 2011, Berlusconi lost his majority in the Chamber of Deputies and resigned. His successor, Mario Monti , formed a new government, composed of "technicians" and supported by both the center-left and the center-right. In April 2013, after the general election in February, the Vice Secretary of the Democratic Party (PD) Enrico Letta led
5624-584: The BBC . The emphasis was on educational content. Programs such as Non è mai troppo tardi and Un viaggio al Po introduced people to what life was like in other parts of the country, at a time when most people could not afford to travel. Over the following years, RAI made various changes to its services. It reorganised its radio stations in November 1946 into two national networks, Rete Rossa and Rete Azzurra ('Red Network' and 'Blue Network'). It added
5776-586: The Bologna railway station massacre in 1980, where 85 people died. In the 1980s, for the first time since 1945 two governments were led by non-Christian Democrat prime ministers: one Republican ( Giovanni Spadolini ) and one Socialist ( Bettino Craxi ). However, the Christian Democrats remained the main government party. During Craxi's government, the economy recovered and Italy became the world's fifth-largest industrial nation, gaining entry into
5928-692: The European Central Bank , Prime Minister. His new cabinet was supported by most Italian parties, including the League, M5S, PD, and FI. In October 2022, President Mattarella appointed Giorgia Meloni as Italy's first female prime minister, following the resignation of Mario Draghi amidst a government crisis and a general election . RAI RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana ( Italian: [ˈrai ˌradjoteleviˈzjoːne itaˈljaːna] ), commercially styled as Rai since 2000 and known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane (RAI),
6080-665: The European debt crisis , the resignation of Berlusconi as prime minister came on 16 November 2011. Berlusconi led the People of Freedom and its right-wing allies in the campaign for the 2013 Italian general election . Although he initially planned to run for a fifth term as prime minister, as part of the agreement with the Lega Nord , he would instead plan to lead the coalition without becoming prime minister. Berlusconi's centre-right coalition gained 29% of votes, ranking second, after
6232-649: The Group of Seven , but as a result of his spending policies, the Italian national debt skyrocketed during the Craxi era, soon passing 100% of the GDP. In the early 1990s, Italy faced significant challenges as voters—disenchanted with political paralysis, massive public debt and the extensive corruption system (known as Tangentopoli ) uncovered by the " Clean Hands " ( mani pulite ) investigation—demanded radical reforms. The scandals involved all major parties, but especially those in
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6384-656: The Italian Liberals did not develop as a structured party. They were instead a series of informal personal groupings with no formal links to political constituencies. The period between the start of the 20th century and the start of World War I , when he was prime minister and Minister of the Interior from 1901 to 1914 with only brief interruptions, is often called the Giolittian Era. A left-wing liberal with strong ethical concerns, Giolitti's periods in
6536-697: The Italian Social-Democratic Party , the Italian Republican Party and the Italian Liberal Party , lost much of their electoral strength almost overnight due to a large number of judicial investigations concerning the financial corruption of many of their foremost members in the Mani Pulite affair. This led to a general expectation that upcoming elections would be won by the Democratic Party of
6688-619: The Italian Socialist Party and also the prime minister of Italy at that time, whose government passed, on 20 October 1984, an emergency decree legalising the nationwide transmissions made by Berlusconi's television stations. This was in response to judgements on 16 October 1984, in Turin , Pescara , and Rome , enforcing a law that previously restricted nationwide broadcasting to RAI, which had ordered these private networks to cease transmitting. After political turmoil in 1985,
6840-464: The Italian Socialist Party . In May 2009, Lario announced that she was to file for divorce. On 28 December 2012, Berlusconi was ordered to pay Lario $ 48 million a year in a divorce settlement, but could keep the $ 100 million house they lived in with their three children. Berlusconi's business career began in construction in the 1970s, when he built Milano Due , a development of 4,000 residential apartments east of Milan . The residential centre
6992-781: The National Alliance ( Alleanza Nazionale ), heir to the Italian Social Movement , in central and southern regions. In a pragmatic move, he did not ally with the latter in the North because Lega Nord disliked them. Consequently, Forza Italia was allied with two parties that were not allied with each other. Berlusconi launched a massive campaign of electoral advertisements on his three TV networks and prepared his top advertising salesmen with seminars and screen tests, of whom 50 were subsequently elected despite an absence of legislative experience. He subsequently won
7144-639: The Pentapartito , who were shocked and confused by Mani Pulite scandals, that Forza Italia offered both a fresh uniqueness and the continuation of the pro-Western free-market policies followed by Italy since the end of World War II . Shortly after he decided to enter the political arena, investigators into the Mani Pulite affair were said to be close to issuing warrants for the arrest of Berlusconi and senior executives of his business group. During his political career, Berlusconi repeatedly stated that
7296-486: The Soviet Union , an issue on which the coalition parties themselves initially had significantly different opinions. Lega Nord insisted on a federalist reform ( devolution of more power to the regions) as a condition for remaining in the coalition. The National Alliance party pushed for a strong premiership (more powers to the prime minister). Difficulties in negotiating an agreement caused some internal unrest in
7448-514: The University of Milan , graduating with honours in 1961, with a thesis on the legal aspects of advertising. He was not required to serve the standard one-year stint in the Italian army which was compulsory at the time. During his university studies, he played upright bass in a group formed with the now Mediaset Chairman and amateur pianist Fedele Confalonieri and occasionally performed as
7600-699: The Vatican City , and elsewhere on pay television and some channels FTA across Europe including UK on the Hotbird satellite. Half of RAI's revenues come from the broadcast receiving licence fees, the remainder from the sale of advertising time. In 1950, RAI became one of the 23 founding members of the European Broadcasting Union . RAI is 99% owned by the Italian Government Ministry of Economy and Finance and
7752-456: The list of the World's Most Powerful People due to his domination of Italian politics throughout more than fifteen years at the head of the centre-right coalition . Berlusconi was prime minister for nine years in total, making him the longest serving post-war prime minister of Italy, and the third-longest-serving since Italian unification , after Benito Mussolini and Giovanni Giolitti . He
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#17327727167817904-473: The national conservative National Alliance (AN) and President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies , became a vocal critic of the leadership of Berlusconi. Fini departed from party's majority line on several issues but, most of all, he was a proponent of a more structured party organisation. His criticism was aimed at the leadership style of Berlusconi, who tends to rely on his personal charisma to lead
8056-404: The "Giolittian System", although Giolitti himself saw the development of the national economy as essential in the production of wealth. The Italian prime minister presided over a very unstable political system as in its first sixty years of existence (1861–1921) Italy changed its head of the government 37 times. Regarding this situation, the first goal of Benito Mussolini , appointed in 1922 ,
8208-404: The 15th anniversary of Berlusconi's first electoral victory. While Forza Italia had never held a formal party congress to formulate its rules, procedures, and democratic balloting for candidates and issues, (since 1994 three party conventions of Forza Italia have been held, all of them resolving to support Berlusconi and reelecting him by acclamation) on 27 March 2009, at the foundation congress of
8360-512: The Berlusconi government in 2003, but they were mostly overcome and the law including devolution of powers to the regions, Federal Senate, and strong premiership, was passed by the Senate in April 2004; it was slightly modified by the Chamber of Deputies in October 2004, and again in October 2005, and finally approved by the Senate on 16 November 2005, with a narrow majority. Approval in a referendum
8512-571: The Carboni logo was introduced in 1977, which was not officially adopted but appeared in some graphics, including that of the time signal. RAI's broadcasts content and nominees are frequently accused of political bias, depending both on the management for each channel or programme, and on the lack of meritocracy in contracts with television hosts and also technicians, also concerting cachets and salaries. However, many people underline that RAI needs to balance political equity and public services with
8664-407: The Chamber of Deputies in a neutral way. Berlusconi asked Fini to step down, and the executive proposed the suspension from party membership of three MPs who had harshly criticised Berlusconi and accused some party members of criminal offences. As response, Fini and his followers formed their own groups in both chambers under the name of Future and Freedom (FLI). It was soon clear that FLI would leave
8816-579: The General Direction and Supervision of Broadcasting Services ( Commissione parlamentare per l'indirizzo generale e la vigilanza dei servizi radiotelevisivi ), every three years, in agreement with almost all parliamentary exponents, usually following the political side of the majority and leaving some space for minor roles to minority parties exponents. RAI is formally a private joint-stock company ( società per azioni ), although all stocks are state-owned; its company statute describes how
8968-470: The Italian Republic in 1946. The prime minister is the president of the Council of Ministers which holds executive power and the position is similar to those in most other parliamentary systems . The formal Italian order of precedence lists the office as being, ceremonially, the fourth-highest Italian state office after the president and the presiding officers of the two houses of parliament. In practice,
9120-778: The League) proposed a no-confidence vote in Conte. Conte resigned, but after the consultations between the President Sergio Mattarella and the political parties, Conte was reappointed as prime minister, heading a government of the Five Star Movement and the Democratic Party of Nicola Zingaretti . In January 2021, the centrist party Italia Viva , led by former prime minister Renzi, withdrew its support to Conte's government. In February 2021, President Mattarella appointed Mario Draghi , former President of
9272-454: The Left , the heirs to the former Italian Communist Party , and their Alliance of Progressives coalition unless an alternative arose. On 26 January 1994, Berlusconi announced his decision to enter politics, in his own words to "enter the field", presenting his own political party, Forza Italia , on a platform focused on defeating communists . His political aim was to convince the voters of
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#17327727167819424-507: The Mani Pulite investigations were led by communist prosecutors who wanted to establish a Soviet -style government in Italy. To win the March 1994 general election, Berlusconi formed two separate electoral alliances: Pole of Freedoms ( Polo delle Libertà ) with Lega Nord (Northern League) in northern Italian districts, and another, the Pole of Good Government ( Polo del Buon Governo ), with
9576-642: The PdL and become an independent party. On 7 November, during a convention in Bastia Umbra , Fini asked Berlusconi to step down from his post of prime minister and proposed a new government including the Union of the Centre (UdC). A few days later, the four FLI members of the government resigned. On 14 December, FLI voted against Berlusconi in a vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies, a vote nonetheless won by Berlusconi by 314 to 311. In May 2011, PdL suffered
9728-552: The PdL joint list, allied with Lega Nord of Bossi and the Movement for Autonomy of Raffaele Lombardo . In the snap elections held on 13–14 April 2008, this coalition won against Walter Veltroni 's centre-left coalition in both houses of the Italian Parliament . In the 315-member Senate of the Republic, Berlusconi's coalition won 174 seats to Veltroni's 134. In the lower house , Berlusconi's conservative bloc led by
9880-460: The PdL political movement the statute of the new party was subject to a vote of approval. On 5,820 voting delegates, 5,811 voted in favour, 4 against and 5 abstained. During that political congress Berlusconi was elected as chairman of the PdL by a show of hands. According to the official minutes of the congress the result favoured Berlusconi, with 100 per cent of the delegates voting for him. Between 2009 and 2010, Gianfranco Fini , former leader of
10032-552: The Republic Giorgio Napolitano call a fresh election, Berlusconi announced from the running board of a car in a crowded Piazza San Babila in Milan that Forza Italia would soon merge or transform into The People of Freedom , also known as the PdL ( Il Popolo della Libertà ). Berlusconi also stated that this new political movement could include the participation of other parties. Both supporters and critics of
10184-437: The Senate after winning a seat in the 2022 Italian general election , then died the following year from complications of chronic leukaemia , and was given a state funeral . Berlusconi was known for his populist political style and brash personality. In his long tenure, he was often accused of being an authoritarian leader and a strongman . At the height of his power, Berlusconi was the richest person in Italy, owned three of
10336-463: The activity of the ministers". This power has been used to a quite variable extent in the history of the Italian state as it is strongly influenced by the political strength of individual ministers and thus by the parties they represent. The prime minister's activity has often consisted of mediating between the various parties in the majority coalition, rather than directing the activity of the Council of Ministers. The prime minister's supervisory power
10488-406: The behalf of the king of Italy . King Victor Emmanuel III removed Mussolini from office in 1943 and the position was restored with Marshal Pietro Badoglio becoming prime minister in 1943, although the original denomination of President of the Council was only restored in 1944, when Ivanoe Bonomi was appointed to the post of prime minister. Alcide De Gasperi became the first prime minister of
10640-594: The centre-left coalition Italy Common Good led by Pier Luigi Bersani . Subsequently, Berlusconi's allies supported the Letta Cabinet headed by Enrico Letta of the Democratic Party , together with the centrist Civic Choice of former prime minister Mario Monti . Berlusconi was criticised for his electoral coalitions with right-wing populist parties (Lega Nord and the National Alliance ) and for apologetic remarks about Mussolini; he also officially apologised for Italy's actions in Libya during colonial rule . While in power, Berlusconi maintained ownership of Mediaset ,
10792-483: The coalition receiving 49.6% of the vote for the Chamber of Deputies and 42.5% for the Senate of the Republic . On the television interview programme Porta a Porta , during the last days of the electoral campaign, Berlusconi created a powerful impression on the public by undertaking to sign the Contratto con gli Italiani ( Contract with the Italians ), an idea copied by his advisor Luigi Crespi from Newt Gingrich 's Contract with America introduced six weeks before
10944-500: The control of the Allied Forces. In 1944 Badoglio resigned and Ivanoe Bonomi was appointed to the post of prime minister, restoring the old title of "President of the Council of Ministers. Bonomi was briefly succeeded by Ferruccio Parri in 1945 and then by Alcide de Gasperi , leader of the newly formed Christian Democracy ( Democrazia Cristiana , DC) political party. Following the 1946 Italian institutional referendum ,
11096-523: The country experienced the Years of Lead , a period characterised by economic crisis (especially after the 1973 oil crisis ), widespread social conflicts and terrorist massacres carried out by opposing extremist groups, with the alleged involvement of United States and Soviet intelligence. The Years of Lead culminated in the assassination of the Christian Democrat leader Aldo Moro in 1978 and
11248-520: The country's lower house , he became a member of the Senate following the 2013 Italian general election . On 1 August 2013, Berlusconi was convicted of tax fraud by the Supreme Court of Cassation . His four-year prison sentence was confirmed, and he was banned from holding public office for two years. Aged 76, he was exempted from direct imprisonment, and instead served his sentence by doing unpaid community service . Three years of his sentence
11400-720: The culture-based Terzo Programma in October 1950. On 1 January 1952, the Rete Rossa became the Programma Nazionale (focusing on informational content) and the Rete Azzurra became the Secondo Programma (with a greater emphasis on entertainment). The three radio channels eventually became today's Rai Radio 1 , Rai Radio 2 , and Rai Radio 3 . In 1954, the state-owned holding company Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI) became
11552-467: The decree was approved definitively; for some years, Berlusconi's three channels remained in legal limbo and were not allowed to broadcast news and political commentary. They were elevated to the status of full national TV channels in 1990 by the Mammì law, named after Oscar Mammì . In 1987, it bought out home video distributor Domovideo, in a seesaw contest with Vincenzo Romagnoli . In 1995, Berlusconi sold
11704-399: The election by Berlusconi's coalition in an attempt to improve their chances of winning the election, led to the coalition's defeat and gave Prodi the chance to form a new cabinet. Prodi's coalition government consisted of a large number of smaller parties. If only one of these nine parties that formed The Union withdrew its support to Prodi, his government would have collapsed. This situation
11856-489: The election process was constitutional. According to the new electoral rules, The Union, nicknamed "The Soviet Union" by Berlusconi, with a margin of only 25,224 votes (out of over 38 million voters) won 348 seats (compared to 281 for the House of Freedoms) in the lower house given to whichever coalition of parties was awarded more votes as a result of the majority bonus system . This electoral law, approved shortly before
12008-424: The elections and were replaced by a centre-left government led by Romano Prodi . In 2001, Berlusconi ran again, as leader of the right-wing coalition House of Freedoms ( La Casa delle Libertà ), which included the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats , Lega Nord , the National Alliance , and other parties. Berlusconi's success in the May 2001 general election led to him becoming prime minister once more, with
12160-463: The elections, becoming one of Italy's most important political and economic figures for the next decade. Berlusconi is also the longest-serving prime minister in the history of the Italian Republic and the third-longest serving in the whole history after Mussolini and Giolitti. Ousted after a few months of government, Berlusconi returned to power in 2001, lost the 2006 general election five years later to Romano Prodi and his Union coalition, but won
12312-439: The elections, with Forza Italia garnering 21% of the popular vote, more than any other single party. One of the most significant promises that he made to secure victory was that his government would create "one million more jobs". He was appointed prime minister in 1994, but his term in office was short because of the inherent contradictions in his coalition: the League, a regional party with a strong electoral base in northern Italy,
12464-490: The entertainment workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and spent half of his speech in support of legislation that would punish violence against women and LGBT people as hate crimes in Italy. During his speech, he recalled all the political exponents' hate speech (confirmed by videos or sentenced by court) during the late years, and accused Rai 3's executive of trying censoring his speech by order of superiors as "this
12616-467: The fact that many of its MPs had switched to Forza Italia, allegedly lured by promises of more prestigious portfolios. In 1998, various articles attacking Berlusconi were published by Lega Nord's official newspaper La Padania , with titles such as "La Fininvest è nata da Cosa Nostra" ('Fininvest [Berlusconi's principal company] was founded by the Mafia'). Berlusconi remained as caretaker prime minister for
12768-546: The far-right politicians. In July, the new board of RAI was elected, including the CEO and executives; this led to RAI's CEO Fuortes revealing not only the withdrawal of the action in court for failing all the required accusatory elements but also that no legal action was ever meant by the new management. Far-right exponents opened a parliamentary question over the withdrawal. After the CEO's declaration, no other details were said about any apology or agreement with Fedez: nonetheless,
12920-531: The first head of the government from Southern Italy . He led the country for six years from 1887 until 1891 and again from 1893 until 1896. Crispi was internationally famous and often mentioned along with world statesmen such as Otto von Bismarck , William Ewart Gladstone and Salisbury . Originally an enlightened Italian patriot and democrat liberal, Crispi went on to become a bellicose authoritarian prime minister, ally and admirer of Bismarck. His career ended amid controversy and failure due to becoming involved in
13072-411: The first time: " URI—Unione Radiofonica Italiana Rome station 1RO 425 metres wavelength . To all those who are listening our greetings, good evening." Guglielmo Marconi 's S.A. Radiofono—Società Italiana per le Radiocomunicazioni Circolari ( Radiofono ) held 85% of URI shares and Western Electric 's Società Italiana Radio Audizioni Circolari (SIRAC) held the remaining 15%. Under
13224-408: The five years leading up to 1983, he earned some 113 billion Italian lire (€58.3 million). The funding sources are still unknown because of a complex system of holding companies , despite investigations conducted by various prosecutors . Fininvest soon expanded into a country-wide network of local TV stations which had similar programming, forming, in effect, a single national network. At
13376-484: The following year. TeleMilano was one of the first Italian private television channels and later evolved into Canale 5 , the first national private TV station. After buying two further channels, Berlusconi relocated the station to central Milan in 1977 and began broadcasting over the airwaves. In 1975, Berlusconi founded his first media group, Fininvest. In 1978 he joined the Propaganda Due masonic lodge . In
13528-408: The former include accusations of having mismanaged the state budget and of increasing the Italian government debt . The second criticism concerns his vigorous pursuit of his personal interests while in office, including benefitting from his own companies' growth due to policies promoted by his governments, having vast conflicts of interest due to ownership of a media empire, and being blackmailed as
13680-467: The goals of the agreement, and said his Government provided un miracolo continuo (a continuous miracle) that made all 'earlier governments pale' (by comparison). He attributed the widespread failure to recognise these achievements to a campaign of mystification and vilification in the print media, asserting that 85% of newspapers were opposed to him. Luca Ricolfi, an independent analyst, held that Berlusconi had managed to deliver only one promise out of five,
13832-558: The government coalition: the Christian Democrats, who ruled for almost 50 years, underwent a severe crisis and eventually disbanded, splitting up into several factions. Moreover, the Communist Party was reorganised as a social-democratic force, the Democratic Party of the Left . In the midst of the mani pulite operation which shook political parties in 1994, media magnate Silvio Berlusconi , owner of three private TV channels, founded Forza Italia (Forward Italy) party and won
13984-478: The investigation is still ongoing. Programming on Rai 1/2/3 and Sport via satellite is encrypted outside Italy due to programming and sports rights. On FM, AM, Satellite, DAB/DAB+, DTT, Filodiffusion, Web: Regional stations: Only on Satellite, DAB/DAB+, DTT, Filodiffusion and Web: Strutture Rai [ it ] ('Rai Structures') is a news organisation internal to RAI, or rather an internal management and division, created in order to independently manage
14136-399: The largest media company in Italy, and was criticised for his dominance of the Italian media. His leadership was also undermined by sex scandals . Berlusconi entered politics in 1994, reportedly admitting to Indro Montanelli and Enzo Biagi that he was forced to do so to avoid imprisonment. He served as prime minister of Italy from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006, and 2008 to 2011. His career
14288-417: The late 1960s. He was the controlling shareholder of Mediaset and owned the Italian football club AC Milan from 1986 to 2017. He was nicknamed Il Cavaliere ('The Knight') for his Order of Merit for Labour ; he voluntarily resigned from this order in March 2014. In 2018, Forbes ranked him as the 190th-richest man in the world, with a net worth of US$ 8 billion. In 2009, Forbes ranked him 12th in
14440-508: The magazine's name. On 3 January 2014, Rai Teche published online the complete 1925–1995 archives of URI/RAI's Radio Orario / Radiocorriere / TV . There are RAI offices in foreign countries, which produce news reports that are broadcast live in Italy. These offices are in Brussels , Paris , Berlin , London , New York City , Beijing , Cairo , Jerusalem , Nairobi , Moscow , Rio de Janeiro , and Bangkok . As March 2015, RAI has
14592-464: The main TV channels of the country, and indirectly controlled RAI through his own government. He was the owner of Italy's biggest publishing company, several newspapers and magazines, and one of the largest football clubs in Europe. At the time of his death, The Guardian wrote that Berlusconi "gathered himself more power than was ever wielded by one individual in a Western democracy". Berlusconi remained
14744-456: The market rules and competitors. All these issues are ongoing. RAI's main channels are considered slightly politically oriented: Rai 1 is liberal or centre-right, Rai 2 is usually more right-oriented, while Rai 3 typically has the majority of left oriented programmes and hosts Fabio Fazio and Bianca Berlinguer , or the journalistic deep investigation programme Report , famous for its investigations over far-right scandals. This issue in Italy
14896-514: The members of the Administrative Council are appointed for a renewable three-year term. In 2005, the government of Silvio Berlusconi proposed partial privatisation of RAI by selling 20% of its ownership. This proposal was very controversial, in part because Berlusconi was the head of the leading private broadcaster Mediaset . Some critics stated that Mediaset could become the buyer and thus increase its dominant position. After
15048-629: The monarchy was abolished and De Gasperi became the first Prime Minister of the Italian Republic. The First Republic was dominated by the Christian Democracy which was the senior party in each government coalitions from 1946 to 1994 while the opposition was led by the Italian Communist Party (PCI), the largest one in Western Europe. In the first years of the Republic, the governments were led by De Gasperi, who
15200-477: The new party called Berlusconi's announcement "the running board revolution" (Italian: la rivoluzione del predellino ). After the sudden fall of the Prodi II Cabinet on 24 January, the break-up of The Union , and the subsequent political crisis, which paved the way for a fresh general election in April 2008, Berlusconi, Gianfranco Fini and other party leaders finally agreed on 8 February 2008 to form
15352-421: The office were notable for the passage of a wide range of progressive social reforms which improved the living standards of ordinary Italians, together with the enactment of several policies of government intervention. Besides putting in place several tariffs , subsidies and government projects, Giolitti also nationalized the private telephone and railroad operators. Liberal proponents of free trade criticized
15504-446: The one concerning minimum pension rates. According to Ricolfi, the other four promises were not honoured, in particular the undertakings on tax simplification and crime reduction. The House of Freedoms did not do as well in the 2003 local elections as it did in the 2001 national elections. In common with many other European governing groups, in the 2004 elections to the European Parliament , gained 43.37% support. Forza Italia's support
15656-536: The parliamentary commission denied a hearing with Fedez, only speaking with RAI's executives. In the very much criticised email answer (which screenshot was published by Fedez on Instagram) the Office of the Commission stated that even if not prohibited by law, it was not custom to invite external people to the Commission investigation. Fedez replied to the email with only three clown emojis, a fact that further angered
15808-469: The party from the centre and supports a less structured form of party, a movement-party that organises itself only at election times. On 15 April 2010, an association named Generation Italy was launched to better represent Fini's views within the party and push for a different form of party organisation. On 22 April 2010 the National Committee of the PdL convened in Rome for the first time in
15960-408: The plans are off the table for the time being. Antonio Scurati , a well-known Italian writer and expert of the history of fascism, was commissioned by the public broadcaster RAI to read a speech on the day of liberation from fascism (Italian: Festa della Liberazione ) on 25 April. However, at short notice, Scurati was disinvited again and was no longer allowed to give his speech. The presenter of
16112-399: The prime minister is the country's political leader and de facto chief executive. Giorgia Meloni has been the incumbent prime minister since 22 October 2022. As the president of the Council of Ministers , the prime minister is required by the Constitution to have the supreme confidence of the majority of the voting members of the Parliament . In addition to powers inherent in being
16264-415: The programs broadcast on the generalist and, in particular, thematic networks. After 2000, RAI reorganised its corporate structure with the creation of specific structures, listed here: Rai Libri is the print publishing arm of RAI. It primarily publish magazines and periodicals for news, entertainment, the broadcast industry, and since its inception, broadcast schedules. Since 1969, it has also published
16416-485: The provisions of Royal Decree No. 1067 of 8 February 1923, wireless broadcasting became a state monopoly under the control of the Ministry of Posts and Telegraphs; URI was commissioned to provide services for a minimum of six years pursuant to Royal Decree No. 2191 of 14 October 1924 Concessione dei servizi radioauditivi circolari alla Società Anonima Unione Radiofonica Italiana . When URI's contract expired in 1927, it
16568-549: The rapper was invited by Fabio Fazio to the first episode of the new season of his late show. Following the 2021 controversy, Fedez reinforced some controversy against RAI when he announced he was not invited to the 2022 Concertone for the first time. Shortly after the Meloni government took office in October 2022, influential managers were replaced, and well-known journalists and presenters such as Fabio Fazio, Bianca Berlinguer, and Lucia Annunziata left RAI. In 2023, Giorgia Meloni
16720-408: The regions ( Lombardy and Veneto ) up for re-election. Three parties, Union of Christian and Centre Democrats , National Alliance and New Italian Socialist Party , threatened to withdraw from the Berlusconi government. Berlusconi after some hesitation, then presented to the president of Italy a request for the dissolution of his government on 20 April. On 23 April, he formed a new government with
16872-438: The revelation that RAI would lose €80m ($ 96m, £54m) in 2006, the privatisation plan was suspended in October 2005. On 18 May 2010, Raisat received a major upgrade and re-branded with a new logo and a new name. It and all of the sister channels dropped the sat part from the name and became Rai YoYo , Rai 5 (formerly known as Rai Extra ), Rai Premium , and Rai Movie (formerly known as Raisat Cinema ). On 11 June 2013, RAI
17024-543: The run-up to the 2006 general election, there had been talk among some of the coalition members of the House of Freedoms about a possible merger into a "united party of moderates and reformers". Forza Italia , the National Alliance of Gianfranco Fini , and the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats of Pier Ferdinando Casini all seemed interested in the project. Soon after the election, Casini started to distance his party from its historical allies. On 2 December 2006, during
17176-549: The same allies, reshuffling ministers and amending the government programme. A key point demanded by the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats and to a lesser extent by the National Alliance for their continued support was that the strong focus on tax reduction be reduced. A key point in the Berlusconi government's programme was a planned reform of the Italian constitution , which Berlusconi considered to be inspired by
17328-447: The second edition of the book-and-documentary RicordeRai released in 2004 in collaboration with Rai Teche . RAI (originally URI) had printed its broadcast schedules nearly without interruption starting in 1925 as Radio Orario , then from 1930 as Radiocorriere , then continuously from 1954 as Radiocorriere TV , until RAI divested in 1995. The magazine was restarted under publisher Rcc edizioni [ it ] with
17480-511: The show did not want to accept that and quickly decided to read out his words in front of the camera. A passage from Scurati states, "As long as those who govern us do not utter the word anti-fascism , the specter of fascism will continue to haunt the house of Italian democracy ." It is a clear criticism of Prime Minister Meloni, because the leader of the Fratelli d'Italia party has not distanced herself from her party's fascist beginnings. He
17632-419: The signing of a preliminary agreement to sell all of their shares of AC Milan to Sino-Europe Sports Investment Management Changxing Co.Ltd. The deal was scheduled to be finalised by the end of 2016. On 13 April 2017, Berlusconi sold Milan to Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux for a total of €830 million after a 31-year reign. Berlusconi rapidly rose to the forefront of Italian politics in January 1994, forming
17784-434: The sole shareholder and URI—now renamed RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana to reflect its extended responsibilities—finally began a regular television service. On 3 January at 11:00 CET, the first RAI television announcer presented the day's schedule, which was broadcast from the service's Milan headquarters and relay stations in Turin and Rome . At 14:30, the first regular programme in Italian television history
17936-443: The state maintained prohibitions on live broadcasting and private news channels. Berlusconi was the first to successfully bypass these restrictions by distributing simultaneously pre-recorded broadcasts across multiple local stations, effectively creating the impression of a national live television network. In 1980, Berlusconi founded Italy's first private national network, Canale 5 , followed shortly thereafter by Italia 1 , which
18088-555: The strict relationship with the Republic is also ruled by different national laws. The most recent one is the 2015 Riforma della Rai , "Rai Reform", i.e. the 2015 law no. 220, including the Testo unico della Radiotelevisione ('Consolidated Law on Radio and Television'). RAI and broadcasting are supervised by the commission, which also rules economic budgets and main regulations, including public service's electoral segments during electoral campaigns. Unione Radiofonica Italiana (URI)
18240-471: The time, laws permitted only the national broadcaster RAI to operate throughout the country, and this was seen as an effort to circumvent the state monopoly . Prior to 1974, Italian television was entirely under state ownership. Despite the landmark 1976 ruling by the Constitutional Court of Italy (decision no. 202/1976), which allowed private entities to operate local television stations ,
18392-499: Was Camillo Benso di Cavour , who was appointed on 23 March 1861, but he died on 6 June the same year. From 1861 to 1911, Historical Right and Historical Left prime ministers alternatively governed the country. According to the letter of the Statuto Albertino , the prime minister and other ministers were politically responsible to the king and legally responsible to Parliament. With time, it became all but impossible for
18544-469: Was absorbed into RAI as of 1 December 2004, per Article 21 of Law 112/04. RAI is governed by a nine-member Administrative Council. Seven of the members are elected by a committee of the Italian Parliament . The other two (one of which is the president) are nominated by the largest shareholder: the Ministry of Economic Development. The Council appoints the Director-General. The Director-General and
18696-403: Was accused of pressuring out the head of RAI for not supporting her political agenda. In 2024, Meloni called for her government's ministers to be given more speaking time in the European election campaign . In doing so, she called on the RAI to violate the law "par conditiono", according to which all parties must receive the same amount of broadcasting time. The resistance to this was massive, and
18848-525: Was also reduced from 29.5% to 21.0% (in the 1999 European elections Forza Italia had 25.2%). As an outcome of these results, the other coalition parties, whose electoral results were more satisfactory, asked Berlusconi and Forza Italia for greater influence on the government's political line. In the regional elections on 3–4 April 2005, centre-left candidates for regional presidencies won in 11 out of 13 regions where control of local governments and presidencies were at stake. Berlusconi's coalition held only two of
19000-556: Was also the result of the new electoral system. Centrist parties such as the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats immediately conceded The Union's victory, while other parties, such as Berlusconi's Forza Italia and the Northern League, refused to accept its validity, right up until 2 May 2006, when Berlusconi submitted his resignation to then President of the Republic Carlo Azeglio Ciampi . In
19152-506: Was appointed again head of the government after a period of instability. Giolitti was prime minister five times between 1892 and 1921 and the second-longest serving prime minister in Italian history. Giolitti was a master in the political art of trasformismo , the method of making a flexible, fluid centrist coalition in Parliament which sought to isolate the extremes of the left and the right in Italian politics. Under his influence,
19304-517: Was appointed new prime minister. On 1 June 2018, after the 2018 Italian general election where the anti-establishment Five Star Movement become the largest party in Parliament, Giuseppe Conte (leader of Five Star) was sworn in as prime minister, at the head of a populist coalition of Five Star Movement and the League . After the 2019 European Parliament election in Italy , where the League exceeded Five Star Movement, Matteo Salvini (leader of
19456-490: Was at that time fluctuating between federalist and separatist positions and the National Alliance was a nationalist party that had yet to renounce neo-fascism at the time. In December 1994, following the leaking to the press of news of a fresh investigation by Milan magistrates, Umberto Bossi , leader of the Lega Nord , left the coalition claiming that the electoral pact had not been respected. This in turn forced Berlusconi to resign from office. Lega Nord also resented
19608-446: Was automatically pardoned under Italian law; because he had been sentenced to gross imprisonment for more than two years, he was banned from holding legislative office for six years and expelled from the Senate. Berlusconi pledged to stay leader of Forza Italia throughout his custodial sentence and public office ban. After his ban ended, Berlusconi ran for and was elected as an MEP at the 2019 European Parliament election . He returned to
19760-526: Was bought from the Rusconi family in 1982, and Rete 4 , which was bought from Mondadori in 1984. He then launched three international sister networks: La Cinq (1986), Tele 5 (1988), and Telecinco (1989). La Cinq and Tele 5 ceased operations in 1992 and were later replaced by La Cinquième and DSF , respectively. Berlusconi created the first and only Italian commercial TV empire. He was assisted by his connections to Bettino Craxi , secretary-general of
19912-419: Was broadcast: Arrivi e partenze , hosted by Armando Pizzo and Mike Bongiorno . The evening's entertainment was a theatre performance, L'osteria della posta , written by Carlo Goldoni . 23:15 saw the start of the day's concluding programme, La Domenica Sportiva —the first edition of a weekly series which continues to this day. RAI was originally the subsidiary of RAI Holding S.p.A. RAI Holding
20064-589: Was built by Edilnord, a Berlusconi-owned company associated with the Fininvest group. Works began on the project in 1970 and was completed in 1979. The profits from this venture provided the seed money for his advertising agency. Berlusconi first entered the media world in the 1970s, buying from Giacomo Properzj and Alceo Moretti a small cable television company, TeleMilano, to service units built on his Segrate properties. It began transmitting in September of
20216-546: Was called President of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of Italy ( Presidente del Consiglio dei ministri del Regno d'Italia ). From 1925 to 1943 during the Fascist regime , the position was transformed into the dictatorial position of Head of the Government, Prime Minister, Secretary of State ( Capo del Governo, Primo Ministro, Segretario di Stato ) held by Benito Mussolini , Duce of Fascism, who officially governed on
20368-528: Was deposed by King Victor Emmanuel III in 1943 following a vote of no confidence by the Grand Council of Fascism and replaced by General Pietro Badoglio . A few months later, Italy was invaded by Nazi Germany and Mussolini was reinstated as head of a puppet State called Italian Social Republic , while the authorities of the Kingdom were forced to relocate in Southern Italy , which was under
20520-526: Was first established in 1848 in Italy's predecessor state, the Kingdom of Sardinia —although it was not mentioned in its constitution, the Albertine Statute . After the unification of Italy and the establishment of the kingdom , the procedure did not change. In fact, the candidate for office was appointed by the king and presided over a very unstable political system. The first prime minister
20672-487: Was formed in 1924 with the backing of the Marconi Company following a model adopted in other European countries. URI made its inaugural broadcast—a speech by Benito Mussolini (1883–1945) at Teatro Costanzi —on 5 October. Regular programming began the following evening, with a quartet performing Haydn 's Quartet No. 7 in A major from Palazzo Corradi. At 21.00 CET , Ines Donarelli Viviani announced for
20824-498: Was held. The results of this election handed Romano Prodi 's centre-left coalition, known as The Union (Berlusconi's opposition), a very thin majority: 49.8% against 49.7% for the centre-right coalition House of Freedoms in the Lower House , and a two-senator lead in the Senate (158 senators for The Union and 156 for the House of Freedoms). The Court of Cassation subsequently validated the voting procedures and determined that
20976-456: Was investigated and fined (with many executives arrested or fired) for unjustified expenses and suspicious gifts. It was noticed that, frequently, dinners, expensive watches and jewellery were all paid by RAI for unknown people outside the company. In 2022, a new scandal was investigated by the Guardia di Finanza surrounding corruption and bribes. At least 5 people in total were arrested, while
21128-414: Was left out in order to "avoid controversy", according to the broadcaster. In 2016, during the first clear broadcast of the show How to Get Away with Murder , on Rai 2, the gay kisses for one of the main characters (portrayed by Jack Falahee ) were completely cut off. RAI apologised again, stating that the incident was "merely the mistake of an overzealous editor". Criticism on the social media platforms
21280-424: Was not able to achieve the goals he promised in his Contratto con gli Italiani . Some of his partners in government, especially the National Alliance and the Union of Christian and Centre Democrats , admitted the Government fell short of the promises made in the agreement, attributing the failure to an unforeseeable downturn in global economic conditions. Berlusconi himself consistently asserted that he achieved all
21432-516: Was one of the few European broadcasters to condemn and criticise the closure of Greece's state broadcaster ERT . RAI is 99% owned by the Italian Government Ministry of Economy and Finance, so it is said that it broadcasts content that may politically influence people. The Alberto Ribera logo was introduced in 1967, however, this did not have significant application except on studios and portable cameras. A second variation of
21584-515: Was open to working with the opposition, and pledged to fight tax avoidance and tax evasion , reform the judicial system and reduce public debt. He intended to reduce the number of cabinet ministers to 12. Berlusconi and his ministers ( Berlusconi IV Cabinet ) were sworn in on 8 May 2008. On 21 November 2008, the National Council of Forza Italia dissolved Forza Italia and established the PdL, whose inauguration took place on 27 March 2009,
21736-467: Was racked with controversies and trials ; among these was his failure to honour his promise to sell his personal assets in Mediaset , the largest television broadcaster in Italy, to dispel any perceived conflicts of interest . In the early 1990s, the five governing parties known as the Pentapartito , including Christian Democracy ( Italian : Democrazia Cristiana ), the Italian Socialist Party ,
21888-486: Was so strong that Falahee and showrunner Shonda Rhimes both tweeted against the network's "inexcusable" censorship. In 2021, another accusation was made against RAI by Italian rapper Fedez . During the 1 May Concertone , a traditional Italian TV broadcast concert in celebration of the International Workers' Day , the rapper was invited to perform and have a speech on the stage. The rapper honoured
22040-450: Was split between RAI and Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI). That same year Radiocorriere became Radiocorriere TV , which would continue to be published until RAI divested in 1995. During the 50s and 60s the ERI published Classe Unica , L'Approdo letterario [ it ] and L'Approdo Musicale [ it ] , and in 1969 the first edition of
22192-399: Was succeeded as prime minister by Lamberto Dini . In the 1996 Italian general election , Berlusconi was defeated by the centre-left candidate Romano Prodi . In the 2001 Italian general election , he was again the centre-right candidate for prime minister and won against the centre-left candidate Francesco Rutelli . Berlusconi then formed his second and third cabinets, until 2006. Berlusconi
22344-410: Was succeeded under Royal Decree Law No. 2207 of 17 November 1927 by the partially nationalised Ente Italiano per le Audizioni Radiofoniche (EIAR), which became Radio Audizioni Italiane S.p.A. (RAI) with investment from Società Idroelettrica Piemontese (SIP) in 1944. During the reconstruction following World War II , much of RAI's early programming was influenced by the " Reithian " style of
22496-475: Was the leader of the centre-right coalition in the 2006 Italian general election , which he lost by a very narrow margin, his opponent again being Prodi. He was re-elected in the 2008 Italian general election following the collapse of the Second Prodi government and sworn in for the third time as prime minister on 8 May 2008. After losing his majority in parliament amid growing fiscal problems related to
22648-467: Was the leader of the centre-right party Forza Italia from 1994 to 2009, and its successor party The People of Freedom from 2009 to 2013. He led the revived Forza Italia from 2013 to 2023. Berlusconi was the senior G8 leader from 2009 until 2011, and he held the record for hosting G8 summits (having hosted three summits in Italy). After serving nearly 19 years as a member of the Chamber of Deputies,
22800-651: Was to abolish the Parliament's ability to put him to a vote of no confidence , basing his power on the will of the King and the National Fascist Party alone. After destroying all political opposition through his secret police and outlawing labor strikes, Mussolini and his Fascist followers consolidated their power through a series of laws that transformed the nation into a one-party dictatorship . Within five years, he had established dictatorial authority by both legal and extraordinary means, aspiring to create
22952-620: Was turned down for ideological and political reasons, Scurati told the German public broadcaster ARD . "I criticized the fact that, during the 19 months of Meloni's government, the Prime Minister insisted on the reading of history that corresponds to her neo-fascist background , i.e. she shifted the blame for the slaughter and massacres onto the German Nazis, even though the fascists of Salò were accomplices and collaborators." RAI
23104-416: Was unanimously decided by the party executive. On 1 July, the National Council modified the party's constitution and Alfano was elected secretary almost unanimously. In his acceptance speech, Alfano proposed the introduction of primaries. Prime minister of Italy The prime minister of Italy , officially the president of the Council of Ministers (Italian: Presidente del Consiglio dei ministri ),
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