He openly praised Italy's brutal fascistFollowing fascism, a set of ideologies that advocates dictatorial power, political violence, suppression of opposition, traditional gender roles, and official racism. dictator Benito MussoliniThe fascist dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1943. , congratulated homeless earthquake survivors on getting a free "weekend of camping", and described himself as one of Vladimir PutinRussia's ruler since 2000. He is a strong opponent of the West.'s best friends. He offended almost every foreign diplomat, and faced a whopping 35 criminal court cases.

Yet Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's former prime minister who passed away on Monday, remains a vital and popular figure in Italian politics. Described as a figure "loved by many and hated by many", his many scandals and corruption allegations never deterred his core base of voters, even as they inspired outrage elsewhere.

For some, Berlusconi was the "first of the populistsPopulism is a political approach whereby a politician tries to appeal to ordinary people who feel that they have been let down by elite groups.". His infamous personality cult and skilful utilisation of his monopoly over the media proved sensationally popular at a time when cynicismBelieving that people are only motivated by self-interest and not a good intentions. and disillusionment among the public were at an all-time high.

And many believe that his legacy inspired a generation of populist leaders - most notably, Donald Trump, whose fame, wealth, controversies and personality politics brought him unexpected political success in the USA.

The Trump era may go on. Trump is the frontrunner for the Republican PartyAlso known as the Grand Old Party or GOP, it is one of the USA's two major political parties. Its first president was Abraham Lincoln. It sits on the right of the political spectrum. presidential candidacy in 2024, despite being the first former president in US history to face federal charges. He is charged with 37 felonyIn the USA, a crime which is punishable by more than one year in prison. counts.

Prosecutors allege that Trump violated the EspionageSpying. Act by mishandling highly sensitive confidential documents. He also faces a 34-count indictmentA formal accusation that a suspect has committed a crime. in New York for falsifying business records, and two more criminal probes of his actions during the 2020 election. If convicted, he may face a substantial prison sentence.

Nor is Trump the only former head of government facing scandal and disrepute. A damning report released on Thursday found that Boris Johnson, Britain's former PM, had misled the UK parliament on at least five occasions over parties that broke Johnson's government's own lockdown rules.

The report concluded that Johnson had treated Parliament with "serious contempt". Had he not resigned from Parliament last week, the report would have recommended that he be suspended for 90 days.¹

To top it off, Scotland's former first minister Nicola Sturgeon was arrested on Sunday as part of an ongoing investigation into her party's alleged mishandling of over £600,000 in donations, which were "ring-fenced" for fighting for a second Scottish independence referendum.²

Sturgeon was at the helm of Scotland's independence campaign for almost a decade, and few expected to see the politician, who resigned in February due to "burnout", in the back of a police car.

Political scandals have never been rare. But some say this new era of populism is making misbehaviour reach new heights. For them, public disillusionmentA feeling of disappointment after finding out something is not as good as you thought. rewards cynical candidates who treat their offices lightly and "shake the status quoA Latin phrase referring to the current or present situation." - though this can just as easily translate to ignoring the rules.

But where does that leave morality? Nowhere, say the critics. We need to "reinfuse politics with a moral yet tangible mission", argues one journalist. Until then, they argue, we can expect to see more candidates in the courtroom.

Yes: Corrupt politicians may make more headlines, but great politicians are the ones who go down in history. It is up to the voters to choose statespeople with a clean record and clear moral message.

No: Nowadays, it is impossible to elect a leader with real moral fibre. The ones who appeal to voters are business moguls, tycoons and long-standing members of the elite who are not really interested in public service.

Or... We have tended to elect politicians who have some kind of profit motive or economic background. We cannot be surprised when they end up pursuing their personal gain in government too.