Governments are temporary. We'll always remember the Italians who have befriended our cause.
Posted on 04/03/2005 3:11:42 AM PDT by an italian
More than 42 million Italians are being called to the polls on Sunday and Monday to elect 14 of the country's 20 regional governments, as well as some provincial and municipal councils.
It is also the first major electoral test since Romano Prodi, the former European Commission President, returned from Brussels last year to head the centre-left opposition coalition.
Both Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Mr Prodi have played a prominent role in the campaign.
The former centre-left Prime Minister, Massimo D'Alema, resigned after a poor showing at the last regional elections in 2000.
This paved the way for Mr Berlusconi's victory at the general elections a year later.
Mr Berlusconi's centre-right ruling coalition has lost every major mid-term election - European, by-election, regional and local - since storming to power in 2001.
What are the main regions to watch?
The Rome region of Lazio and the Milan region of Lombardy, two of Italy's main centres of power. There was much controversy over candidacies in both cases.
In Lazio there was a political scandal involving a far-right group founded and led by Alessandra Mussolini, grand-daughter of Italy's former Fascist ruler Benito Mussolini.
The Social Alternative group was initially banned from taking part in the poll over the alleged faking of signatures supporting Ms Mussolini, who went on a hunger strike.
It was later re-admitted by Italy's top administrative court, triggering heated protests by the incumbent regional president, the right-wing Francesco Storace.
Analysts say that while Ms Mussolini cannot actually win the Rome region elections, she could split the right-wing vote and take away enough votes from the incumbent to deliver victory to the centre-left candidate.
What about Lombardy?
This is Italy's richest region and a key centre-right constituency. The incumbent, Roberto Formigoni, won a landslide victory last time round.
But the ruling coalition has since lost Milan Province and Mr Formigoni has said that if they were to lose the regional government too, this would herald the opposition's victory in next year's national elections.
There were misgivings about the incumbent's candidacy, because the Milan-based coalition partner, the Northern League, wanted to field its own candidate.
The Northern League accused Mr Formigoni of wanting to replace Mr Berlusconi as prime minister.
I hope that Our Coalition of Right will be re-confirmed.
We have to show the world that we fight Comunism.
So, let me say: ITALY, LET'S ROLL!!! :-)
AI: I enjoy your posts. Please feel free to ping me when you put up an article.
So do we. Will be watching with hope.
Good luck from the UK!
Tell you what? I am damned happy to see the defeat of Berlusconi! I never liked that guy. Can´t help myself, but he behaves like Putin for me - in other words, like a pseudo-democratic wanna-be dictator. I don´t think that a Prime Minister, Chancellor or President should own the most important nation-wide TV stations or newspapers, and his scandals of the past make him even more suspicious. I haven´t heard anything that could present him somehow honest.
Oh, and finally, because I know I soon have to defend myself against allegations of being anti-Italian, anti-American, anti-Bush, anti-Iraq-war or at least pro-Schröder: I am not. I just can´t stand corrupted politicians, and I don´t think that the Left will do much better in Italy, but I personally dislike those people.
Chirac and Berlusconi have a lot in common: they both are shaken by scandals, they both have taken money for political decisions, they both want to extend their power on the costs of other European countries. I don´t like Chirac, but I don´t think he´s that dangerous as Berlusconi, because he has not that much of media power. I´m more concerned of manipulated people than of the personal deficits of politicians. I don´t hope Italy´s getting closer to the Russian situation of a "democratic dictatorship". Let´s not forget: Hitler came into office legally, too. We´re watching closely.
Anyway, what happened to the Italian Christian Democrats? They were not that successful since a dozen of years. The political landscape in Italy is a special science, lol.
Have you run for an office?
Which party is to the right of Berlusconi's Forza Italia in the Coalition?
I don't know the specifics of the Italian situation, but I suspect that the alternatives to Berlesconi are less favorable.
No you're wrong. Believe me. I live in Italy and I know my politics. We need a right Coalition.
Berlusconi isn't right wing?
Governments are temporary. We'll always remember the Italians who have befriended our cause.
I hope it will be so.
Because I really love Freedom. And I admire America. I don't want to leave a friend like her.
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