He and his party, which built Italy’s center-right coalition when he entered politics in 1994, had become increasingly irrelevant. In 2018, the conservative leadership moved to Matteo Salvini, the hard-right leader of the nationalist League party (formerly the Northern League party). By 2020, the once marginal post-Fascist party Brothers of Italy had outperformed Mr. Berlusconi’s once powerful Forza Italia. But Mr. Berlusconi still dreamed big. In the most right-wing government since Mussolini, Mr. Berlusconi argued that he would keep a toe in the center.

---

Persons: Matteo Salvini, Berlusconi’s, ” Mr, Berlusconi, ”, Mario Draghi, “, ’ ” Cristian Romaniello, Mr, Draghi, Meloni, Mussolini Organizations: nationalist League party, Northern League, Brothers, Forza Italia, Salvini’s League, “ Fascists, Star, European Central Bank, Five Star Locations: Italy