The ghost of Benito Mussolini, Italy's 20th Century Fascist dictator and Duce, dead and gone now for almost 70 years, is still stalking the country's politics.

BBC: Italy's mixed feelings about Fascism

But he was on his way: within six months Mr Berlusconi, after inventing his own party from scratch, had ganged up with Mr Fini and the leader of the soon-to-be-separatist Northern League, Umberto Bossi (who has more of a Duce's whiff about him than Mr Fini does), to thrash the assorted left and centre in a general election.

ECONOMIST: Fini��s nice new suit