“The trigger that completely overturned the Italian legislature, that almost pushed an entire political class to the end of the line, and that moved Mario Draghi’s administration to resign, was unknowingly pulled on a satirical radio show interview with a sociologist”.

Over the course of seven months, the Italian political scene became a hall of mirrors. Almost nothing turned out as it seemed, and the protagonists laid the groundwork for a radical transformation in the structure of the Republic.

The most powerful international figure at Italy’s disposal, former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, went from being Prime Minister with a strong handle on the Quirinal Palace in December 2021, to living proof in July 2022 that the Palace can wear just about anyone down. In two hundred and twenty days, a shocking series of twists and turns were eclipsed by the pandemic and war breaking out at the gates of Europe.

Tommaso Labate recounts this rollercoaster tale with authoritative insight, unpublished details, and revelations coaxed out of the protagonists themselves: from text messages Casini sent during his daily run at Villa Borghese to the abacus in Berlusconi used to count votes and deputies; from the Northern League’s uncertainties to the Five Stars’ split; from Meloni’s games to Renzi’s moves; from Grillo’s withdrawal to Draghi’s silences. In a thrilling work of reportage, Labate takes readers behind the scenes at the palaces of power to read both the present and the political future of the country.

TOMMASO LABATE has been a signature voice of Corriere della Sera since 2012, covering politics, economics, society and main current events. He edits a section in the weekly magazine Io Donna, is a regular guest on TV talk shows, and hosted the programs “In Onda” and “Fuori Onda” on La7. He hosts the daily Rai Radio 2 program “Non è un paese per giovani” [“No Country for Young People.”] He roots for Inter.

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