Explaining Italy's Fragmented Politics

While the current political uncertainty fits within the context of Europe's economic and political crisis, Italy's social and political fragmentation is historical — the result of its geographic characteristics, its unequal levels of economic development and its repeatedly being invaded by foreign powers. The essential role of the central government in Rome is to manage the contradicting interests of internal and external actors, a burden that hobbles attempts at economic and political reform. As instability grows, finding that balance becomes an increasingly difficult task.