Posted on 06/28/2004 5:20:10 PM PDT by blam
Crushing double defeat at polls for Berlusconi
By Bruce Johnston in Rome
(Filed: 29/06/2004)
The Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi suffered one of the worst setbacks of his political career yesterday when he was badly defeated in local elections, including in his provincial stronghold around Milan.
In two rounds of elections his centre-Right coalition, which swept to national power three years ago with the largest majority in post-war history, lost 52 out of 63 provincial council contests. The centre-Right also lost 22 out of 30 mayoral races.
Trouble at home: Silvio Berlusconi at the Nato summit yesterday
Critics said the defeats, coming three weeks after similar humiliations in European elections, signalled the beginning of the end for the media tycoon-turned-politician's political empire.
Both results are being seen as emblematic of growing national dissent over the prime minister's showy style of politics, known as Berlusconismo.
Mr Berlusconi's coalition allies said they had paid the price for his special relationship with the radical Northern League, which has been holding the government to ransom in order to push through federalist reforms.
"Milan is tired, a cycle is over," read the headline in the city's Corriere della Sera, Italy's largest quality daily, adding that locals had "lost patience" with the centre-Right.
"Not even God would be able to put the pieces of the centre-Right back together again now," was the verdict of Massimo Cacciari, a commentator and the former Left-wing mayor of Venice.
Pietro Fassino, head of the Left Democrats, hailed the results as a breakthrough for the centre-Left opposition of which his party is the largest force.
"In Milan, Berlusconi has lost on his own home ground, marking a splendid victory for the centre-Left," he said.
A defiant Mr Berlusconi, speaking from the Nato summit in Istanbul, tried to shrug off the results' significance. "I don't see why the government should not remain in power," he said. "We have a five-year mandate and intend to respect our manifesto."
But Domenico Fisichella, the deputy senate speaker and a leading member of Mr Berlusconi's far-Right partners, Alleanza Nazionale, was not hopeful about the ruling coalition's future.
"I don't know if there will be a government crisis, but what is certain is that the government is in a state of crisis," he said.
"Its programme was full of illusion, and the electorate has now delivered its verdict. It reflects a malaise that will undoubtedly reverberate and affect the life of the government - assuming that it reaches the end of its term."
...just..damn. Does this mean that Italy will now go the way of cowardly Spain?
probably.
Wow, this doesn't sound good.
This ain't good. Silvio is one of the good guys.
Maybe he should run for Senator from NY. They'll take anyone, no matter where they are from.
Not enough porn stars on the ticket, I guess.
Not fair!!
We ALL didn't vote for the bitch!!
All of Europe is going the way of France, running up a yellow flag with a red star on it.
You said exactly what I was thinking. The "Coalition of the Willing" are thinning out and becoming less willing.
The U.S. are the only ones who will stay the course, and that only as long as George W. Bush stays in office.
Flip-Flop Kerry would cut and run as fast as those squirels exit the orchard when they see the shotgun exiting the back door ahead of me.
Well, a right leaning Italian is probably equivelent to a left leaning NY'er. :)
LOL @ your squirrels!! My gohpers also recognize "heat" when they see it.
Europe is finished! Done! Kaput! I have lots of in-laws in Europe. Their attitude is poor. They don't care for their own family members. They are a complete socialist mess and they brought in on themselves.
Drudge has a story saying the LIBERALS in Canada have just gotten a boost. Did the conservatives lose? Bummer!
A prediction. Within ten years we will be fighting a war to liberate Europe, just like in 1941.
Given that the Italians have had 42 governments in the last 50 years, I can't say that I'm suprised.
"Milan is tired , the cycle is over" In the Italian political timeline Berlusconi is Methusela's grandfather.
FMCDH(BITS)
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