The benefit of these is clear. Berlusconi’s new laws seemed designed to bolster his own position and protect himself from challenges by judges. They attracted huge criticism, in Italy and abroad.

As many pointed out, Berlusconi joined the US-led coalition in Iraq in the name of democracy and the rule of law but seemed to sidestep principles of accountability at home.

His move to scrap first-past-the-post voting, forced through parliament last year, did much to produce the tangled election result. But in trying to unpick these legislative strands, Prodi risks wasting as much time as Berlusconi, particularly if he is leading a fractious coalition.

Sop to the communists

These are regrettable. The few prudent economic reforms that Berlusconi made included an edging up of the retirement from 57 to 60, and steps to making pensions more affordable and labour more flexible. Prodi wants to reverse this.

Wishful thinking

Who wouldn’t want to? Gordon Brown said the same about tax evasion, hoping, like Prodi, to use a clampdown to pay for spending. But it isn’t that easy.

Popular but vacuous

These will not cure Italy’s problems, they will probably not even raise the birth rate.

Sounds good, but can he do it?

These are the core of his programme — the plans that might begin to address Italy’s alarming economic problems.

Unions and businesses will back the cuts in labour taxes; the question is whether people will back the cut in spending that must follow.

All of these steps are essential; none is popular. A coalition will not find them palatable.