While many credited Silvio Berlusconi with bringing stability to the Italian political system, it is only now, after his departure as Prime Minister, that we can see that this was not at all the case.

If anything, the vacuum cleaner-salesman-cum-crooner, did the exact opposite. Silvio Berlusconi did deliver stability in terms of a long-standing government, but his policies, coupled with his extra-curricular activities did the exact opposite. Italy plunged deeper and deeper into the economic crisis and the mere continued presence of the man made the markets jitter even further. In fact, it was the markets themselves which forced Berlusconi from power, citing the fact that they could not trust his leadership in terms of reducing Italy’s large deficit and crippling debts.

The Italian President then proposed that Mario Monti take up the Prime Minister’s post as a technocrat. At first there was opposition, but he was eventually backed and the markets’ worries eased.

Mr Monti, a former banker, passed his first test yesterday with a vote of confidence on the package of austerity measures he put together for Italy. The world was used to Mr Berlusconi scraping through by the skin of his teeth on every vote, but this was different.

The Chamber of Deputies backed the €33bn package of cuts and reforms by 495 votes to 88, though it has yet to be approved by the Senate (upper house).

Crucial to the government’s plans is the package of tax increases, spending cuts and pension reforms aimed at balancing Italy’s budget by 2013. However, analysts say rising borrowing costs and the prospect of a deepening recession still threaten to undermine the government’s efforts, yet, Mr Monti still got a resounding backing that his predecessor could only ever hope for in his wildest dreams.

Mr Monti said his government would move on to growth-boosting measures after the austerity bill was passed, moving from crisis management to a real and credible plan which should see Italy move forward and improve its lot.

It is said that the centre-right PDL and the centre-left Democratic Party (two of the many parties in parliament) have misgivings over parts of the bill, but they cannot sabotage it for fear of unleashing economic catastrophe, analysts say.

Berlusconi, in an antithesis of his time as Prime Minister, said his PDL party would back the government out of a sense of responsibility, not because it agreed with the sacrifices being asked of Italians.

But at the end of the day, it was Berlusconi’s own policies which dragged Italy into the mire. Granted, Italy has always had a long-standing problem with public debt, since the 1970s, even. But it seems that all that was needed was the removal of Berlusconi from the seat of power to actually make a difference. Italy will struggle, and tough times are ahead, but the general consensus seems to be that they can make it under the interim leadership of Monti. Of course, a technocrat always has the advantage of not needing to please the voters, but Mario Monti seems to be the real deal which Italy so badly needs.