tangentopoli

Tangentopoli, literally "Bribe City," is the name given to a nationwide corruption scandal that rocked Italian politics in the early 1990s. The term, popularized by investigations known as Mani Pulite (Clean Hands), referred to widespread kickbacks and bribe schemes tied to public procurement and government contracts. The inquiries revealed a dense network connecting political parties, business interests, and public officials, with Milan and northern Italy often at the center, though the impact was national.

Mani Pulite was conducted by prosecutors in Milan beginning in 1992. It uncovered systematic corruption affecting major parties, notably the Christian Democracy (DC) and the Italian Socialist Party (PSI), among others. The investigations used bank records, wiretaps, and testimony from insiders, leading to charges, trials, and convictions of numerous politicians and businessmen and triggering a public backlash against political elites.

The political consequences were profound. The scandal contributed to the collapse of the so-called First Republic, the dissolution or drastic reform of major parties (including DC and PSI) and a major realignment of Italian politics. It helped pave the way for new parties and a shift toward different center-left and center-right coalitions, culminating in the rise of Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia and the broader reorganization of the party system known as the Second Republic. Reforms also aimed at greater transparency in party financing and public procurement.

Legacy: Tangentopoli is regarded as a watershed moment in postwar Italian politics, highlighting the deep-rooted patronage and corruption that characterized the era, while also contributing to changes in anti-corruption mechanisms and political reform. It remains a reference point in discussions about Italian political corruption and reform.