Italy’s elections sprang many surprises, none more so than the rout of the Communists and the parallel surge of the rightwing, anti-immigration Northern League which has become the indispensable partner for Silvio Berlusconi.

For the first time since the postwar republic was founded in 1948, no Communists will be represented in parliament, their seats tumbling from 84 to zero. The Greens, partners in the Rainbow Left alliance, lost all 15 of their seats.