Italy's Political Clown Could Prove Three Times Lucky [Berlusconi]

Embassy magazine ^ | February 20th, 2008 | Harry Sterling

[SunkenCiv]

With his much-publicized alleged face-lift, hair transplant, and frequently outrageous comments, Italy's former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi... could become his country's prime minister for the third time... April 13-14 following the defeat last month of the center-left government of prime minister Romano Prodi... [CIA manipulation/conspiracy nonsense omitted] ...Signor Berlusconi has been... forming center-right coalitions that brought him first to power in 1999 for a brief seven months and then again in 2001 for a lengthy five years in office before being defeated in April 2006 by the coalition led by Prime Minister Prodi. (From 1981 to 2007, Italy had 16 prime ministers.) ...Mr. Berlusconi's period in office from 2001 to 2006 was exceptionally long by Italian standards -- where some leaders have only lasted months... Interestingly, it's partially because prime minister Prodi's own fragile coalition government implemented some long overdue financial and tax reforms, including tightening up on tax evasion, that Signor Prodi saw his own popularity diminish, resulting in his withdrawal as leader of the center-left in the forthcoming election, that position was assumed by Walter Veltroni, mayor of Rome since 2001... Mr. Berlusconi may also benefit from the fact the Italian economy, like the French, is stagnating and the situation in southern Italy remains a problem with chronic unemployment. The situation has reached the point where Spain's per capita income purportedly recently passed that of Italy, an embarrassment for Italy, a member of the influential G7 group of industrialized nations... According to Berlusconi's campaign battle cry, "The left brought Italy to its knees." He says his new political grouping, "People of Freedom," will get Italy back on track. Castigating his political opponents for their onetime Marxist roots and lax policies towards illegal immigration and crime, Berlusconi says his new party will stress family values and Italy's Christian heritage.

[SunkenCiv]

It's not a coincidence that there's been a recent and long-overdue attempt to crack down on a crime wave by mostly Moslem immigrants in Italy -- elections are coming!

[SunkenCiv]

Prodi’s “devout Catholic” act didn’t fool anyone, and annoyed the atheists and other leftists among his supporters.

[padre35]

The economy is stagnating, but they wish to suck in more tax revenue, which only makes the economy even worse...

Berlusconi lost by a handful of votes, I would like to see him back in office as he was a staunch WOT fighter.

[SunkenCiv]

Turkish journalist Yasemin Taskin has been living in Italy for nearly 20 years and writes for the Turkish daily, Sabah. In a special series Taskin speaks to Adnkronos International (AKI) about the forthcoming Italian election... "When the Prodi government fell, the statements by various political leaders made me afraid of an umpteenth replay of an old film," Taskin said in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI). "Same election campaign, same political line-up, same language. I must say that with time, my vision has changed. I think this electoral campaign will be a new story." ... "The first is that Walter Veltroni, as leader of the Democratic Party (PD) has announced that he will run alone. That is a big change, also seen in the language and the way of conducting the electoral campaign," said Taskin. She said another significant change was the news that Pier Ferdinando Casini, head of the Christian Democracy (DC) party, had abandoned former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, in his bid for re-election. Taskin said that early polls, which gave Berlusconi's new People of Freedom party an edge over Veltroni's Democratic Party, were of no significance... Taskin said the biggest difference between the Italian and Turkish elections was that the dominance of television in Italian campaigns, whereas in Turkey campaigns take place on the streets... Taskin also makes a comparison between Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his party's constant reference to Islamic identity, and Italian parties, like Casini's Christian Democrats and their reference to Christian identity.

[ZULU]

Leftist dogs will always bark - until well beaten.

The leftist dogs who wrote this personal attack piece are no different.

Perhaps someone should send them a few hundred thousand Muslims - C.O.D.

[SunkenCiv]

Centre-right party to go solo in Italian vote, rebuffing Berlusconi
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ilHgDDSB16s3SvXGxS-A6tsEwvaw

Key ally breaks with Berlusconi to run separately
published: Sunday | February 17, 2008
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080217/int/int2.html

Italy turmoil after Prodi submits resignation
Financial Times | January 25 2008 02:05 | By Guy Dinmore in Rome
Posted on 01/24/2008 11:58:44 PM EST by DeaconBenjamin
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1959273/posts

[SunkenCiv]

The author is a former diplomat from Canada, something like that. Gee, I wonder what political party originally hired him?

[SunkenCiv]

It’ll be interesting. Given Italy’s postwar history, it’s likely that no one will have a decent plurality, forcing another stitched together Frankenstein monster of a coalition. Prodi’s gov’t almost came apart a year ago, and had a number of close calls before and after that.

[SunkenCiv]

worth repeating:

Mr. Berlusconi may also benefit from the fact the Italian economy, like the French, is stagnating and the situation in southern Italy remains a problem with chronic unemployment. The situation has reached the point where Spain's per capita income purportedly recently passed that of Italy, an embarrassment for Italy, a member of the influential G7 group of industrialized nations...

Gosh, y'know what this means? Italy needs a pure-left, rather than center-left, governing coalition, just like Spain!!! ;')

[JerseyHighlander]

Out of all the conspiracy theories out there, the one regarding the fall of Prodi’s government seems truly believable. The actors involved were sloppy around the edges and made public appearances together quite often. Should be an interesting story in there if a journalist can find a source willing to talk.