Goodbye, Berlusconi. Hello, Berlusconi.

A common misconception that some Americans have is that Europeans are somehow more enlightened or better governed than we are. The best way to debunk this myth? Study Italian politics.

The latest from Rome is that Silvio Berlusconi, who just resigned as premier last week, may be back in power already. The AP via The New York Times reports:

Conservative leader Silvio Berlusconi formed a new government Saturday and will present his choice of Cabinet ministers to Italy's legislators for approval in the hopes of avoiding new elections.

Berlusconi received the mandate to govern at a meeting Friday with President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, just two days after quitting amid a power struggle with his coalition allies.

With his reconstituted government -- a technique used by past Italian premiers to strengthen faltering coalitions -- Berlusconi aims to improve his sagging popularity and remain in power until the next election, scheduled for mid-2006.

At least in America, if a politician has to resign from office, they never come back to power. Well, except for Marion Barry—but DC does like to think of its sensibilities as so very European.