Mr. Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian media magnate, has won a convincing victory in last weekend's general election. It is a satisfying win for Mr. Berlusconi, who served as prime minister for a tumultuous seven months in 1994 and has faced corruption allegations and legal suits ever since. But his election is more than a personal triumph: His victory, though slim by Western standards, is significant by Italian standards. If Mr. Berlusconi delivers on his promise of change, it could mark a new era in Italian politics.

With nearly all votes counted, Mr. Berlusconi's center-right House of Freedoms alliance controls both houses of Parliament. It won 177 of 324 seats in the Senate, the upper house, and at least 330 of 630 seats in the lower Chamber of Deputies. With victories in hundreds of local races, the House of Freedom can claim about 45 percent of the popular vote; the center-left Olive Tree coalition, led by Mr. Francesco Rutelli, the telegenic former mayor of Rome, has about 40 percent.

It is tempting to dismiss Mr. Berlusconi's return as the triumph of style over substance and proof that money is the surest ticket to political success. The media magnate is one of Italy's richest men -- his empire is worth more than $12 billion -- and he was unstinting in his use of his cash and his companies during the campaign. He mailed millions of copies of a glossy biography to voters and dominated broadcasting on his three private television stations to get his message out without having to square off against his rival, Mr. Rutelli.