Italy: The house blessing is going wrong in the Forza Italia party

The Berlusconi family is one of the most prominent supporters of the indebted ruling party. 59-year-old Marina Berlusconi, head of the renowned Milan publisher Mondadoriwants to persuade Tajani, who has been party leader since her father’s death, to resign and replace him with a more charismatic personality with a view to the parliamentary elections in spring 2027.

Marina Berlusconi wants the party to take a strongly liberal course – this should give it a stronger profile compared to its right-wing allies Lega and Fratelli d’Italia (Brothers of Italy).

Revolution has already begun in Forza Italia

The revolution has already begun in Forza Italia. Senator Maurizio Gasparri resigned as leader of the Forza Italia group in the Italian Senate on Thursday. This was preceded by a written request to resign from 14 of the 20 Forza Italia senators, including the Minister for Institutional Reforms and Administrative Simplification, Maria Elisabetta Alberta Casellati, and the Minister for Public Administration, Paolo Zangrillo.

Gasparri’s successor will be Senator Stefania Craxi, daughter of former Prime Minister Bettino Craxi, who died in 2000. She was State Secretary in the Foreign Ministry in Silvio Berlusconi’s government from 2006 to 2013.

Gasparri’s resignation follows Forza Italia’s disappointing results in the recent referendum on judicial reform, particularly in the southern regions led by Forza Italia presidents, as well as internal disputes within the party.

The Berlusconi family has recently repeatedly referred to the need for renewal in the party in order to make it more competitive with a view to the 2027 parliamentary elections. According to the Berlusconis, it should present “front people with strong communication and ideas” in the future. Gasparri’s resignation marks the first step in this renewal process.