Abstract
This paper seeks to explain the political renaissance of the Italian confederal unions in the 1990s by linking it to a combination of essentially three factors: the opening up of new opportunities in the political sphere, unity of action among the three major confederations, and a series of organizational reforms that increased the unions' capacity for encompassing, inclusive representation. If the main determinants of the Italian unions' renaissance are to be found in the political sphere, it is from this sphere, according to the authors, that the major challenges for the future are likely to emerge. In particular, the resurfacing of competition among the three major confederations could make it increasingly difficult for the Italian unions to speak with a single voice not just in the political, but also in the economic sphere.
