ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to explore the overall trajectory of Italian parties and the party system(s), explaining all the negative transformations and highlighting the difficulties of a democratic regime whose parties are sadly unable to (re)acquire a decent role. Starting in 1946, Italian parties performed an indispensable and positive task in organizing democracy, offering participation to Italian citizens, structuring the political system and making it work satisfactorily. However, the lack of alternation in government facilitated the emergence of what has rightly been called partyocracy: an excessive amount of power held by the parties that control too many economic and social resources. In personalist parties, the state of organizations, their internal dynamics and the relationships among the members are, of course, significantly–and in some cases decisively –influenced by the leader of the party. The 1993 wave of referendums was meant to be a major blow to the Italian partyocracy.
