Silvio Berlusconi has survived 54 votes of confidence over the years, but there is intense speculation that he will be the next leader forced out in the Very European Coup. The longest-serving G20 leader won’t go down without a fight. We shouldn’t forget he has survived his allies Blair, Bush, Howard and Aznar, who never really recovered from their joint adventures in Iraq.

He has a real headache though this morning: the rumours he was off yesterday lead to a significant swell in the Italian markets, which would not have gone unnoticed in Berlusconi’s own party. All eyes are on the state finance bill going through the Italian Parliament at three…