Party swapping all the rage among fickle Italian parliamentarians

A general view of the Italian Senate in Rome February 24, 2014. Some 116 of the 315 senators elected in 2013 have swapped political colours, while in the lower chamber 106 out of 630 lawmakers have switched parties, shifting the balance of power in favour of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. REUTERS/Tony Gentile

ROME (Reuters) - In the land of Niccolo Machiavelli, it is perhaps unsurprising that the Italian parliament should be riven by intrigue, treachery and double-dealing.

But even by the standards of the cunning Renaissance diplomat, the current legislature has set a new benchmark for political machinations, with more than a fifth of all parliamentarians changing party affiliation in just two years.