History

Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united, although Venice was not prized away from Austria until 1866 and papal claims remained an issue until 1870, when Rome officially joined the young nation. Though nothing could hide the huge cultural and social differences that split the industrialized north from the poverty-stricken south.

Mussolini or also known as "Il Fusto" soon became head of state, outlawed the opposition, controlled the press and trade unions and cut franchise by two-thirds. His relationship with Hitler soured after a series of military disasters and an Allied invasion, eventually resulting in a fatal dose of rough justice at the hands of partisans in April 1945.

After World War II Italy was colored by extremism: the extreme violence of terrorists, extreme centre-right politics, extreme economic boom and economic crisis, extreme corruption and bribery in extremely high places and an extremely cynical and tired population.

Italy was a charter member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has been at the forefront of European economic and political unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999.

Italy's government is known for its many scandals and resignations and because of this it left Italy at times virtually ungoverned and very chaotic.

The 1998 election of Massimo D'Alema, who formed a centre-left coalition that included Communists for the first time in half a century, was seen as a shot in the arm for left-wing politics. However, in April 2000 he resigned; his replacement, Giuliano Amato, lasted only a little over a year before one of Italy's richest and most powerful men, media magnate Silvio Berlusconi, got the job. Berlusconi has disappointed many with a government pursued by corruption charges.

During the last election in 2006 Romano Prodi was elected in the government with a slim majority.