A democratically elected leader of a 1st world country who came to power with no previous political experience having cobbled together a campaign team at short notice which then degenerated into infighting once in office.
He was a former property developer and amassed a large fortune which he used to bankroll his campaigns and was able to exploit the discrediting of establishment parties of the left and centre right.
He was an adept communicator, speaking in plain, unsophisticated and sometimes crude language, portraying himself as an anti-establishment outsider – an ordinary man.
He made up policy on the hoof, often contradicting himself and making numerous gaffes – which resulted in him being seen as a buffoon outside (and for many inside) his country – but which endeared him to his supporters, as proof he was one of them and not a member of the elite.
His administrations consistently promoted falsehoods about the state of the country and economy – many of which came to be accepted as facts.
He is of course Silvio Berlusconi and those of us concerned about the impact of Trump on the world need to note that Berlusconi was democratically elected three times before the chaos overwhelmed him and he was replaced by a technocratic administration – which did little to address the issues that Berlusconi’s supporters were experiencing – increased inequality, shrinking welfare system, insecure employment etc. etc.
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