As for Italy, there are local realities that have penalized Berlusconi's personal political entity, the Pdl. In Sicily the tactics of Governor Lombardo have caused a strong showing of the autonomists- over 12%. However on the national level this is not enough to gain a seat in Strasbourg. While the Pdl is penalized, the vote nevertheless shows an unequivocal rightwing turn not only in the islands but throughout Southern Italy. There the Pdl has a showing from 42 to 48% with the traditional exception of the Basilicata. The strong showing there is due to the insignificance of autonomist movements that characterize Northern Italy and the islands. One may not exclude a certain macho vote that identifies itself with Woody's sexual philandering.

The Pd has held its position, perhaps a sign that its collapse under Veltroni has stopped. It is however in a difficult situation to form alliances on a national level with two small but significant parties on either side- Di Pietro's Idv against Casini's Christian Democrat remake. The asteroid parties on the Left have disappeared from any elective role yet persist in presenting themselves with a fiefdom mentality rather than form a pragmatic coalition. Their insistence on disunity is a major voter drain for the left- on the order of 8%.

While the far left torments itself over indistinguishable nuances, arcane for almost all voters, the right wing has no problem kissing up to a demagogic blob of a party, a probable symptom of their intellectual maturity. The only real problem on the right is represented by autonomist movements. But Berlusconi has demonstrated that he can metabolize them quite well when not outright compete with them in racist demagogy.