November 19, 2007 (LPAC)--Silvio Berlusconi announced that he is dissolving his current party Forza Italia and founding a new party, which he will call either "Popular Party of Freedom" or "Party of Freedom". He consciously plays on the image of Jean-Paul Marat, both with his reference to the "people" and with his use of the term "parrucconi" ("old fogeys") to attack the political class.

Berlusconi's announcement comes in the context of a campaign to replace the current political class initiated months ago by pro-British oligarchical centers, which have fed a populist, Mussolini-like "anti-political" mood in the population. The leader of this campaign, so far, was business leader Luca Cordero di Montezemolo. Berlusconi is now offering the "rightwing" alternative to Montezemolo. Apparently Berlusconi's current party, Forza Italia, is not populist enough and too dependent on political compromise with other conservative parties, such as the Christian Democratic UDC and the rightwing Alleanza Nazionale (AN). Berlusconi said that he will build his new party with young people and that the "Parrucconi" should stay home.