Italy's new government - under Mr Giuliano Amato - is its 58th since the end of the Second World War and is seen as a caretaker administration until next year's general election. If it is stricken with bad luck, it may not even get past tomorrow's vote of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies. But it is generally felt that it will scrape enough votes to survive.
An average of more than one government each year for 55 years, indicates endemic political instability. Although many of the changes of government might be more accurately described as major cabinet reshuffles which do not force the dissolution of parliament, it is obvious that change is needed.
On May 21st, Italians will vote in a referendum in an attempt to stabilise their political system. They will be asked to drop proportional representation in an effort to make fractious coalitions a less common form of government. There is abundant evidence, however, that Italy's political problems are of a nature so organic that they are unlikely to be solved merely by a change in the way votes are cast.
The adoption of a first-past-the-post-voting system, instead of producing a solution, could instead introduce a new set of problems. In the course of time, it could lead to the formation of two large political blocs with increased opportunities for entrenchment in power and the resultant corruption that has been the real plague of Italian politics. Mr Amato, a former Socialist with links to the disgraced Prime Minister, Mr Bettino Craxi, has his own accusers in this regard. The one-time investigating magistrate, Mr Antonio Di Pietro, has specifically accused him of involvement in a meeting in the 1990s at which plans to undermine investigations into corruption were made.
At the other end of the political spectrum stands the media magnate and conservative leader, Mr Silvio Berlusconi, who has been prosecuted on various charges, including one of attempting to bribe members of the judiciary and is due to face a number of court hearings in the coming months.
Mr Amato is noted for his political subtlety in a country in which the advocates of the historic compromise between the Christian Democrats and the Communists once spoke in terms of "converging parallels." He has, therefore, the finest of fine Italian hands and will need to use all his talents to see through whatever electoral legislation is necessary following next month's referendum.
He will also need luck and in the first day of his new administration, he had little of it. After just a couple of hours, the Greens withdrew from the cabinet demanding the environment portfolio. For tomorrow's vote, Mr Amato will have to ensure the presence of almost all his supporters. He may have to do so repeatedly if his government is to survive.