Sex scandals, divorce and a brutal assault in Milan, 2009 was a tough year for Silvio Berlusconi. Reporter Mark Franchetti returns to the country of his birth to assess one of the world's most controversial and flamboyant leaders. Franchetti finds an Italy divided between those who love Silvio and those who hate him.

His story reads like a soap opera, but, despite the public blunders and scandals, despite the allegations of Mafia collusion and financial corruption, Berlusconi seems to thrive in the face of adversity. Few other leaders could survive - can Berlusconi continue to defy his critics? Show less