Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s billionaire prime minister, declared that his new party would outlive its founders when he spoke at its opening congress on Sunday, but the carefully orchestrated celebrations demonstrated that the cult of personality remains as strong as ever.

To chants of “Silvio, Silvio” from 6,000 delegates and the chorus of the party anthem – “Thank goodness that Silvio is there!” – the media mogul closed a three-day congress in Rome of the new People of Liberty with assurances that Italy would emerge stronger from the global economic crisis.