Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli dies at 96

Artist was best known for work with opera singers and on Shakespeare plays

Far-right’s results far from startling in European Parliament elections

Good turnout and swing from ultranationalism enhance Europe’s sense of legitimacy

Elections round-up: how people voted across the EU

Country-by-country guide to elections that saw modest gains for the far-right in many member states

Matteo Salvini brings old-style politics to Italy election campaign

Far-right League leader’s taste for travelling around the country is paying rich dividends

To the left? European social democracy shows signs of life

Europe Letter: Spain is proof that centre-left parties can regain lost ground with a more radical approach

Uproar as EU Parliament president highlights ‘positives’ of Mussolini

Antonio Tajani’s comments cause further embarrassment to European People’s Party

Italian government fails to reach new EU deficit target

Signs of readiness to lower deficit target beginning to open

Italian deadlock ends as populist government takes charge

PM Giuseppe Conte has pledged to cut taxes, boost welfare spend and overhaul some EU rules

Political novice Giuseppe Conte proposed as Italy’s prime minister

Coalition of populist Five Star and League parties could be in place by end of the week

Italy’s Five Star and League move towards government formation

Silvio Berlusconi offers approval of deal that would give two populist forces power

Italy’s Five Star Movement seeks governing contract with rivals

Talks begin but could take weeks and still end in deadlock, prolonging instability

Italy’s unlikely bedfellows hint at potential political union

Five Star and League strike deal fuelling fears they may form antagonistic government

Italian election results expose euro zone inadequacy

Martin Wolf: Until prosperity is better distributed, Europe will remain vulnerable to upheaval

Bumbling gun-lovers, world’s richest women and yet more billboards

Planet Business: How Ophelia beat Emma, and Frances McDormand’s ‘inclusion rider’

Mattarella stuck in quagmire over creation of Italy’s government

Both Five Star and alliance of centre-right and right claim status of largest party

Italy faces political gridlock as voters back populist Five Star Movement

Widespread anger over poverty, unemployment and migrants hits Democratic Party

Italians queue to vote in election seen ending in political gridlock

Berlusconi’s centre-right party and far-right allies expected to emerge as largest bloc

Italy: seeking a path out of gridlock

Voters go to the polls on Sunday after an election campaign marked by deep anger at the country’s situation

Berlusconi names choice for prime minister if he wins Italian election

European Parliament president Antonio Tajani in line for nomination after Sunday’s poll

Berlusconi touts moderate choice for PM if centre-right wins Italy vote

Mogul says Antonio Tajani a strong pick if coalition wins absolute majority on March 4th

Fear of migrants feeds growth of Italy’s far right

A plethora of rising political parties will contest Italy’s election on March 4th

Silvio Berlusconi pledges to deport 600,000 illegal immigrants

Italy’s ex-PM says immigration is a ‘social bomb ready to explode’ ahead of elections

Silvio Berlusconi’s resurrection shakes up Italy and the EU

Italian election has brought country's former leader back to the centre of its political debate

Italian elections likely to ensure ongoing political instability

Europe Letter: Eurosceptical forces in Rome will undermine Franco-German partnership

Italy takes sharp turn right ahead of general election

Anti-immigrant sentiment fuels support for populist parties including resurgent Northern League

Italy’s main parties back Bill that isolates 5-Star Movement

Proposed law would allow for the formation of broad coalitions before a vote

Brexit still poses a threat to long-term European unity

Once Britain leaves, the assessment of the pros and cons of EU membership will change

Italy considers closing its ports to ships from Libya

Rome reportedly seeking drastic changes to asylum procedures after surge in refugee arrivals

Will Italy be next to reverse out of the EU?

Italian debate on merits of abandoning the euro grows louder

Renzi efforts to avoid Partito Democratico split fail to unify party

Senior figures including Massimo D’Alema not happy with party’s move to the centre

Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial for bribing witnesses

Former Italian PM accused of paying ‘bunga bunga’ partygoers to commit perjury

Paolo Gentiloni profile: Italy’s new PM is a ‘safe pair of hands’

A far-left activist in his student years, he later tried to contain the media dominance of Berlusconi

Profile: Paolo Gentiloni – a safe pair of hands for Italy

New prime minister’s time as minister of foreign affairs earned him a solid reputation

Presidential consultations begin in attempt to form government in Italy

Silvio Berlusconi likely to be involved in talks on finding successor to Matteo Renzi

Renzi’s defeat about more than populist Euroscepticism

Analysis: Many feared reforms would strip Italy of its constitutional checks and balances

Italy: High turnout for referendum may favour ‘No’ vote

Critics argue reforms place too much power in hands of prime minister Matteo Renzi

In Italian referendum, Matteo Renzi goes all in

Final polls show half the electorate are still undecided or intend to abstain

Italian referendum: Yes and No sides give it their last shot

Accusations and insults exchanged on final day of a bitter campaign over political reform

Five Star’s ascent threatens Italy’s Matteo Renzi

Anti-establishment comedian Beppe Grillo may be days away from claiming PM’s scalp

Silvio Berlusconi joins calls for No vote in Italian referendum

Speculation that prime minister Matteo Renzi might resign if reforms are rejected

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