70 governments in 77 years: Why Italy changes governments so often

In July 2022, Mario Draghi resigned as Italy’s prime minister, following a snub from his coalition partners in a vote of confidence. His departure threw the country into political turmoil, and a snap general election was scheduled for this month. Italy’s next government will mark the country’s 70th since the end of World War II, an average of one new government every thirteen months. This is far more frequent than the five-year election cycles the country is supposed to have. The European nation’s political instability comes down to a few factors, but at the heart of it is Italy’s unique, hybrid political system. “The system is important for representing different ideologies, different preferences, different geographical areas. Italy is a very diverse country,” said Andrea Ruggeri, an expert on Italian politics and international relations at the University of Oxford. “However, democracy also needs policy and efficient policies,” she said. “So, one of the risks that Italy has been f