Italian Foreign Policy: Domestic Politics, International Requirements and the European Dimension (in Special Issue: The Future of European Foreign Policy)

Abstract: Italy's foreign policy has always been heavily influenced by its domestic politics. Despite the fact that ideological cleavages are less profound, even in the post-Cold War period the difficulties of the Italian political system have jeopardized a successful foreign policy. One of the crucial factors contributing to this paradox has been the attitude on the European dimension of Italy's foreign policy, which has become a partisan issue. While the Berlusconi government confined the European dimension to a subordinate position with respect to bilateral relations with the USA, the Prodi government is attempting the opposite approach. The lack of bipartisan consensus is threatening an effective foreign policy at a time in which international changes require a quick capacity to adapt