Andreotti's win as an incumbent Prime Minister reveals the theme of "particracy" (partitocrazia, or "rule by parties") in Italian politics, the rule of Italian politics being strongly influenced by a single dominant group of players who govern independent of the will of the voters.[5] A new trend of populism rose in the politics of many European countries during the late 20th century, resulting in "a new breed of radical right-wing parties and movements" which gain majority favor through "charismatic leadership" and an appeal to "popular anxieties prejudices and resentments".[6]
In the movie, Andreotti served as Prime Minister multiple terms; some argue that he and many other political actors in Italy utilize the so-called "soft populism", which employs outlets, such as media, to appeal to the popular masses.[7] However, Andreotti does not seem to emphasize any specific policies nor even campaign.
Through the portrayal of Andreotti, the movie displays how political actors are able to maintain their position and power with little to no explanation as to how they did so. Also, the inability to completely distinguish whether Andreotti was or was not affiliated with the Mafia murders conveys the lack of clarity in the mechanics of Italy's government. Andreotti's incumbency reveals the pentapartito, which consisted of five parties ranging from centre-right to centre-left. This coalition formed to prevent a left majority and was able to secure a majority by strategic methods of give and take. By maintaining this system of taking turns, a "systematic corruption" formed where parties were no longer driven by the masses, but by their alignments, resulting in "exchanging resources".[8]
