Forecasting in the politics of spectacle. From Berlusconi to Grillo: the narrative of impolite politics

Two highly significant strengths may be identified in Silvio Berlusconi’s communicative strategies during Italian general elections from 1994 to 2008: first, an innovative and skilful use of the narrative as political tool; second, the introduction of impoliteness into Italian political debates. This latter point may be viewed both as an expression of his ability to manage the political arena as a spectacle and as an innovative political skill in the era of visibility and political scandals. His forced retirement from government in 2011, and the subsequent season of understatement brought about by the technocratic government led by Mario Monti, has emphasised the communicative value, for a political leader able to create and manage them, of a narrative and code of impolite politics similar to that of Berlusconi. Such a leader could be identified in Beppe Grillo, whose MoVimento 5 Stelle achieved significant results in the 2012 local elections and dominated the political agenda mainly through Grillo's direct and impolite communicative style which addressed both his political opponents and the MoVimento's ‘dissident’ militants. What might happen when Grillo, the new Comedian, who already appears as a champion of impolite politics inaugurated by Berlusconi, runs against Berlusconi the old Comedian in the forthcoming general election