The fourth Berlusconi government was the 60th government of Italy, in office from 8 May 2008 to 16 November 2011. It was the fourth government led by Silvio Berlusconi, who then became the longest-serving Prime Minister of Italy of the Italian Republic (3340 days in office). The government was supported by a coalition between The People of Freedom (PdL) and the Northern League (LN), together with other smaller centre-right parties.
At its formation, the government included 22 ministers and 39 under-secretaries, for a total of 61 members. At the end of its term the cabinet was composed of 24 ministers, 4 deputy ministers and 39 under-secretaries, for a total of 67 members. With 1287 days of tenure, it was third in longevity in the history of the Italian Republic.
Formation
After the sudden fall of the second Prodi government on 24 January, the break-up of The Union coalition and the subsequent political crisis (which paved the way for a fresh general election in April 2008), Berlusconi, Gianfranco Fini and other party leaders finally agreed on 8 February 2008 to form a joint list named "The People of Freedom" (), allied with the Northern League of Umberto Bossi and with the Sicilian Movement for Autonomy of Raffaele Lombardo.
In the snap parliamentary elections held on 13/14 April 2008 this coalition won against Walter Veltroni's centre-left coalition in both houses of the Italian Parliament.
Berlusconi and his ministers were sworn in on 8 May 2008.
Fall
On 10 October the Chamber of Deputies rejected the law on the budget of the State proposed by the government. As a result of this event Berlusconi moved for a confidence vote in the Chamber on 14 October, he won the vote with just 316 votes to 301, minimum required to retain a majority. An increasing number of Deputies continued to cross the floor and join the opposition and on 8 November the Chamber approved the law on the budget of the State previously rejected but with only 308 votes and 1 abstention, while opposition parties didn't participate in the vote to highlight that Berlusconi lost his majority. Among other things, his perceived failure to tackle Italy's debt crisis with an estimated debt sum of €1.9 trillion ($2.6 trillion) urged Berlusconi to leave office. The popularity of this decision was reflected in the fact that while he was resigning crowds sang the hallelujah portion of George Frederick Handel's "Messiah", complete with some vocal accompaniment; there was also dancing in the streets outside the Quirinal Palace, the official residence of the President of Italy, where Berlusconi went to tender his resignation.
The austerity package was passed, it will raise €59.8 billion in savings from spending cuts and tax raises, including freezing public-sector salaries until 2014 and gradually increasing the retirement age for women in the private sector from 60 in 2014 to 65 in 2026. The resignation also came at a difficult time for Berlusconi, as he was involved in numerous trials for corruption, fraud and sex offences. He was often found guilty in lower courts but used loopholes in Italy's legal system to evade incarceration.
Berlusconi had also failed to meet some of his pre-election promises and had failed to prevent economic decline and introduce serious reforms. Many believed that the problems and doubts over Berlusconi's leadership and his coalition were one of the factors that contributed to market anxieties over an imminent Italian financial disaster, which could have a potentially catastrophic effect on the 17-nation eurozone and the world economy. Many critics of Berlusconi accused him of using his power primarily to protect his own business ventures. Umberto Bossi, leader of the Northern League, a partner in Berlusconi's right-wing coalition, was quoted as informing reporters outside parliament, "We asked the prime minister to step aside."
CNN reported on 7 November that Berlusconi had previously denied the rumors that he was going to resign and had stated on his Facebook page that "The rumors of my resignation are groundless." On 12 November 2011, after a final meeting with his cabinet, Berlusconi met Italian president Giorgio Napolitano at the Quirinal Palace to tender his resignation. He announced this to the Italian public by telephone on one of his television channels. Italian news agency ANSA reported that Berlusconi had remarked to his aides that "This is something that deeply saddens me". Berlusconi conceded that he had lost his parliamentary majority and concluded that "things like who leads or who doesn't lead the government was less important than doing what is right for the country." Berlusconi issued a statement that he would not stand for office in Italy again after the budget defeat. In his resignation he was said to have also mentioned "eight traitors", former allies who had abstained.
Investiture votes House of Parliament Vote Parties VotesChamber of Deputies Yes NoAbstentionOthers Senate of the Republic Yes NoAbstentionOthers
Party breakdown Beginning of term Ministers Forza Italia 12 National Alliance 4 Northern League 4 Christian Democracy for Autonomies 1
Ministers and other members The People of Freedom (PdL): Prime minister, 17 ministers, 30 undersecretaries Forza Italia (FI): Prime minister, 12 ministers, 17 undersecretaries National Alliance (AN): 4 ministers, 8 undersecretaries Christian Democracy for Autonomies (DCA): 1 minister Liberal Populars (PL): 1 undersecretary Independents: 4 undersecretaries Northern League (LN): 4 ministers, 5 undersecretaries Movement for Autonomy (MpA): 2 undersecretaries Christian Democracy (DC): 1 undersecretary Independents: 1 undersecretary
End of term Ministers The People of Freedom 19 Northern League 3 People and Territory 1 Independents 1
Ministers and other members The People of Freedom (PdL): Prime minister, 18 ministers, 24 undersecretaries Northern League (LN): 3 ministers, 1 deputy minister, 4 undersecretaries People and Territory (PT): 1 minister, 1 deputy minister, 2 undersecretaries The Populars of Italy Tomorrow (PID): 1 minister Popular Action (AP): 1 deputy minister Movement of National Responsibility (MRN): 1 undersecretary La Discussione: 1 undersecretary Independents: 1 minister, 2 undersecretaries Republicans-Actionists (RA): 1 deputy minister Great South (GS): 2 undersecretaries Christian Democracy (DC): 1 undersecretary The Right (Destra): 1 undersecretary National Cohesion (CN): 1 undersecretary
Council of Ministers
Office Name Party Term Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi PdL Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini PdL Minister of the Interior Roberto Maroni LN Minister of Justice Angelino Alfano PdL Nitto Francesco Palma PdL Minister of Defence Ignazio La Russa PdL Minister of Economy and Finance Giulio Tremonti PdL Minister of Economic Development Claudio Scajola PdL Silvio Berlusconi (ad interim) PdL Paolo Romani PdL Minister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies Luca Zaia LN Giancarlo Galan PdL Francesco Saverio Romano PT Minister of the Environment Stefania Prestigiacomo PdL Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Altero Matteoli PdL Minister of Labour and Social Policies Maurizio Sacconi PdL Minister of Health Ferruccio Fazio Independent Minister of Education, University and Research Mariastella Gelmini PdL Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities Sandro Bondi PdL Giancarlo Galan PdL Minister of Regional Affairs and Territorial Cohesion Raffaele Fitto PdL Minister for the Implementation of the Government Program Gianfranco Rotondi PdL Minister of Public Administration Renato Brunetta PdL Minister for Equal Opportunities Mara Carfagna PdL Minister of European Affairs Andrea Ronchi PdL / FLI Anna Maria Bernini PdL Minister for Parliamentary Relations Elio Vito PdL Minister for Federal Reforms Umberto Bossi LN Minister of Youth Policies Giorgia Meloni PdL Minister for Legislative Simplification Roberto Calderoli LN Minister for Subsidiarity and Decentralization Aldo Brancher PdL Minister of Tourism Michela Vittoria Brambilla PdL Secretary of the Council of Ministers Gianni Letta PdL
Composition OfficePortrait Name Term of office PartyPrime MinisterSilvio Berlusconi8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Foreign AffairsFranco Frattini8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of the InteriorRoberto Maroni8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011Northern LeagueMinister of JusticeAngelino Alfano8 May 2008 – 27 July 2011The People of FreedomNitto Francesco Palma27 July 2011 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of DefenceIgnazio La Russa8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Economy and FinanceGiulio Tremonti8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Economic DevelopmentClaudio Scajola8 May 2008 – 5 May 2010The People of FreedomSilvio Berlusconi5 May 2010 – 4 October 2010The People of FreedomPaolo Romani4 October 2010 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Agricultural, Food and Forestry PoliciesLuca Zaia8 May 2008 – 16 April 2010Northern LeagueGiancarlo Galan16 April 2010 – 23 March 2011The People of FreedomFrancesco Saverio Romano23 March 2011 – 16 November 2011People and TerritoryMinister of the EnvironmentStefania Prestigiacomo8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Infrastructure and TransportAltero Matteoli8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Labour and Social PoliciesMaurizio Sacconi8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Education, University and ResearchMariastella Gelmini8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Cultural Heritage and ActivitiesSandro Bondi8 May 2008 – 23 March 2011The People of FreedomGiancarlo Galan23 March 2011 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of HealthFerruccio Fazio13 December 2009 – 16 November 2011IndependentMinister for Parliamentary RelationsElio Vito8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Public AdministrationRenato Brunetta8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of Regional Affairs and Territorial CohesionRaffaele Fitto8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister for Equal OpportunitiesMara Carfagna8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of European AffairsAndrea Ronchi8 May 2008 – 15 November 2010The People of FreedomFuture and FreedomAnna Maria Bernini15 November 2010 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister of YouthGiorgia Meloni8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister for the Implementation of the Government ProgramGianfranco Rotondi8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister for Federal ReformsUmberto Bossi8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011Northern LeagueMinister for Legislative SimplificationRoberto Calderoli8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011Northern LeagueMinister of TourismMichela Vittoria Brambilla8 May 2009 – 16 November 2011The People of FreedomMinister for Subsidiarity and DecentralizationAldo Brancher18 June 2010 – 5 July 2010The People of FreedomSecretary of the Council of MinistersGianni Letta8 May 2008 – 16 November 2011The People of Freedom
References
External links Italian Government - Berlusconi IV Cabinet