When Silvio Berlusconi entered the political arena in 1994, the Radicals, who were then organised mostly into the Pannella List and were attracted by Berlusconi's proposed economic liberalism, supported him, albeit critically and without becoming directly involved in his centre-right first government (1994–1995), in the hope of a "liberal revolution" as opposed to the conservative and statist political establishment represented by traditional parties.

Shortly after the 1999 election, they deserted Berlusconi's proposal of welcoming them back into the centre-right fold and instead formed the Committee of Radicals for the Liberal Revolution and the United States of Europe, led by Cappato.

In the run-up of the 2000 regional elections, the opposite happened: Berlusconi's conservative allies posed a veto on the Radicals, who wanted to re-compose the alliance.

In the run-up of the 2005 regional elections, the Radicals understood that their isolation was no longer sustainable and took the unprecedented step of contextually asking to join either the centre-right House of Freedoms or the centre-left The Union, regardless of their respective political platforms.

In November 2005, the Radicals formed an alliance with the Italian Democratic Socialists (SDI),[14] becoming de facto members of The Union coalition for the 2006 general election.

In the run-up of the 2007 congress, Pannella declared that the party should "give absolute priority to economic, liberal and libertarian reforms rather than the civil struggle to Vatican power, prepotency and arrogance", which had been central in 2006.

In June, Bernardini, Maria Antonietta Coscioni and Elisabetta Zamparutti (all three elected MPs) were replaced by Antonella Casu, Bruno Mellano and Michele De Lucia as secretary, president and treasurer, respectively.

In January 2013, the party announced that it would contest the upcoming general election on a stand-alone electoral list called Amnesty, Justice and Freedom (Aministia, Giustizia, e Libertà).

[22][23] However, in April and after two months of failed attempts at forming a new government, thanks to her international standing and Pannella's lobbying efforts, Bonino was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Letta Cabinet.

[25][26][27][28] However, in the following months Bonino decided to side with Magi and Cappato, who launched "Radical" lists for the 2016 municipal elections in Rome and Milan, in a move opposed by the leadership of the TRP, especially Maurizio Turco.

[29][30] The lists obtained 1.2%[31] and 1.9%,[32] respectively, and in both cases they supported the candidates put forward by the PD, either in the first or the second round, opening the way for the party's rapprochement with the centre-left at country-level.

[33][34] In the event, the party found itself increasingly divided in two factions: on one side Magi, Cappato and Staderini (who were backed by Bonino), on the other Turco, Bernardini and most of the staff of Radio Radicale (who were closer to the late Pannella).

[43][44][45][46][47] In November 2017, the RI formed, along with Della Vedova's Forza Europa (FE) and some members of the Civics and Innovators (CI), More Europe (+E), a pro-Europeanist list for the 2018 general election, led by Bonino.

Hence, libertarians oppose state intervention to help individuals achieve self-realization (e.g., through welfare measures) or to protect them from themselves (e.g., through legislation against the sale and use of drugs).

"[81][failed verification] According to Tom Lansford, the party is a mostly libertarian, middle-class political grouping standing for civil and human rights.

[86] Internationally, the RI political though is influenced by ideas of Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Immanuel Kant and Karl Popper.

[91] On fiscal issues, the RI is usually liberal, supporting non-interventionist and free-market policies, but in recent times accepted part of the welfare state system, especially on healthcare.

The RI is divided in two wings, i.e., the Friedmanians, who are influenced by Milton Friedman and the Chicago School, and the Keynesians, who support neo-Keynesian or post-Keynesian economics.

The RI fully supports progressive stances including same-sex marriage, LGBT adoption, abortion, artificial insemination and euthanasia, vocally advocating for an advance healthcare directive (AHD).

The RI also calls for the legalization of prostitution[95] and cannabis[96][97] while enforcing the fight against hard drugs like heroin with harm reduction methods.

[100] On religious affairs, the RI follows the historical Radical Party's position of anti-clericalism,[101] calling for the abolition of Lateran Treaty (approved in 1929 and modified in 1984) and secularisation.

[102] On foreign affairs issues, the RI has been a keen supporter of European federalism,[103][104][105] non-interventionism, Atlanticism[106] and Zionism, while advocating a two-state solution.