We admire Italy for its food, architecture, culture, women and yes - though it pains me to admit it - its football. But it's politics? I'm reminded of the old European joke that heaven is run by a British administration with German efficiency, and is filled with Italian lovers and French cuisine; whereas hell is run by an Italian administration with French efficiency, and is filled with German lovers and British cuisine.

Italy has, in fact, produced some great political intellectuals. But its post-war politics was characterised by a scale of corruption almost unmatched in the Western democracies. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the collapse of Christian Democratic rule - which gave the mafia an inordinate degree of power over Italian politicians - ushered in a hopeful period of ferment and reform.

Dubious character

However, in the course of the decade, the Italian right regrouped around the figure of the billionaire media magnate - and AC Milan owner - Silvio Berlusconi. The regrouping of the right was in itself no bad thing, but Berlusconi proved to be a more dubious character.

He has been in and out of the office of the prime minister for over a decade, his latest stint having commenced last year. Throughout this time, though he has never been found guilty, allegations of fraud and corruption have constantly hung over him.

That a politician should have a question mark hanging over his name is hardly novel. One is, after all, presumed innocent until proved guilty. And it is not unknown for politicians to be hounded by their political opponents: Berlusconi has immodestly put himself in the same category as Jesus Christ for being persecuted for no good reason. But in his day, Jesus didn't control a legislature, and so wasn't able to pass laws that made it harder for his foes to persecute him. Berlusconi's parliamentary supporters have done just that. Nor did Jesus - as does Berlusconi - control or influence (by some estimates) 90 per cent of his country's media, making it difficult for the full story of his alleged wrongdoings to get out.

Because he has Italy's press under such tight wraps, Berlusconi's strongest critics have been found in the foreign press. Not satisfied that he shut down debate in his own country, he recently launched lawsuits against foreign media conglomerates, hoping to silence them as well.

However, in recent months, his private indiscretions have attracted new foes. His wife left him after he turned up, for reasons he hasn't yet persuasively explained, at an 18- year-old girl's birthday party. His dalliances with call girls have been circulated in the independent press. This has brought a new critic into the fray: the Catholic Church.

Italy's bishops dislike Berlusconi. However, the Italian leader has effectively divided the Church by winning the support of the Vatican for his conservative policies. However, when a Catholic newspaper criticised Berlusconi for his moral lapses, he may have overreacted. A newspaper in his camp went after the editor in a smear campaign that forced him to resign. For once, the Vatican said Berlusconi went too far, and sided with the bishops.

Buffoon

Observers struggle to make sense of Berlusconi. Derided as a buffoon - his comment that Barack Obama was 'well-tanned' is typical Berlusconi wisdom - his critics nonetheless see him as a closet fascist. But recently, the famed Italian political scientist Giovanni Sartori said he is not a dictator, but a sultan: someone who acquires immense power in order to do merely 'what he wants' - in his case, behave badly.

So even if he doesn't threaten Italian democracy, he is an embarrassment to his country.

John Rapley is president of Caribbean Policy Research Institute, an independent think tank affiliated with the UWI, Mona. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.

Berlusconi has immodestly put himself in the same category as Jesus Christ for being persecuted for no good reason.