Posted on 05/09/2008 7:04:28 PM PDT by DesScorp
ROME: Silvio Berlusconi was sworn in Thursday as prime minister of Italy for the third time in his political career, after forming one of Italy's most rightist cabinets since World War II.
"We're in a honeymoon period," Berlusconi said, adding that he intended to pick up where he left off in 2006, when he failed to be re-elected after a five-year term. He also served as prime minister from 1994 to 1995.
"We have 100 days to avoid disappointing those who put their faith in us, and five years to change and modernize this country," he was quoted by the newspaper La Stampa as saying.
Berlusconi's resounding victory in the April 13-14 elections gave him a comfortable majority in both the Senate and lower Chamber of Deputies, where his government - Italy's 62nd since the end of World War II - will be subject to mandatory votes of confidence.
The Chamber is expected to vote on Wednesday and the Senate will vote later next week.
Berlusconi has promised to fight crime, to crack down on illegal immigration and to clear the mounds of uncollected trash in Naples that have paralyzed the southern city and stained Italy's image abroad. He has said that he hopes to hold his first full cabinet meeting in Naples.
Another challenge will be to rescue the state-controlled airline Alitalia from possible bankruptcy. Air France-KLM abandoned takeover talks with Alitalia last month, citing unacceptable demands from the carrier's unions.
The International Monetary Fund, which expects Italian growth of 0.3 percent this year, said Berlusconi's promised tax cuts should seek to stimulate demand and that the prime minister should ensure that the tax cuts are offset by spending cuts.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Because during World War II, Italy was governed by a fascist lefty.
The problem with this piece is the implicit assumption that fascism was a rightist political faction. Ask the Italian monarchists how friendly Mussolini was to Italian tradition, the Church or the historical rights of Italian communes.
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