<P> The elections in 2006 returned Prodi in government, leading an all - encompassing centre - left coalition of 11 parties (The Union). Prodi won with only a slim majority in the Senate, also due to the new proportional electoral law introduced by Berlusconi and Calderoli in 2005 . In the first year of his government, Prodi had followed a cautious policy of economic liberalization and reduction of public debt . His government, in loss of popularity, was anyway sacked by the end of support from centrist MPs led by Clemente Mastella . </P> <P> Berlusconi won the general election in 2008, with the People of Freedom party (fusion of his previous Forza Italia party and of Fini's National Alliance) against Walter Veltroni of the Democratic Party . In 2010, Berlusconi's party saw the splintering of Gianfranco Fini's new faction, which formed a parliamentary group and voted against him in a no - confidence vote on 14 December 2010 . Berlusconi's government was able to avoid no - confidence thanks to support from sparse MPs, but has lost a consistent majority in the lower Chamber . On 16 November 2011, Berlusconi's resignation, the famous economist Mario Monti sworn in as new Prime Minister at the head of a technocratic government . </P> <P> On 24 and 25 February 2013 a new election was held; the centre - left coalition of Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of the Democratic Party, win a majority in the Chamber of Deputies but not in the Senate . It was shocking the result of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, founded by the former comedian Beppe Grillo, which gain 25.5% of votes, becoming the first party in the country . </P> <P> On 24 April, Giorgio Napolitano gave to the Vice-Secretary of the Democratic Party, Enrico Letta, the task of forming a government, having determined that Pier Luigi Bersani could not form a government because it did not have a majority in the Senate . Letta formed a grand coalition government, supported also by The People of Freedom of Silvio Berlusconi and Civic Choice of Mario Monti . </P>

What factors played a role in italys decline after 1500