Posted on 05/03/2006 1:57:41 AM PDT by familyop
ITALY'S prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, finally handed in his resignation yesterday, ending weeks of political uncertainty and opening the way for centre-left leader Romano Prodi to form a new government.
Mr Berlusconi had contested his rival's wafer-thin victory in the polls three weeks ago but was forced to concede after MPs elected centre-left speakers for parliament, allowing Mr Prodi to control the assembly with his slim majority.
To rub salt into his wounds, Mr Berlusconi had to personally give notice of his resignation to the Communist who is the new leader of the lower house.
"They'll miss us - we were the best government the republic ever had," Mr Berlusconi told his final cabinet meeting. The media baron headed his country's longest-serving government in post-war history - five years.
Yesterday marked the end of a turbulent spell for the man who promised an economic miracle but instead presided over a long period of stagnation.
However, the president, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, asked Mr Berlusconi to remain in office as caretaker until a new government is sworn in.
That will signal the start of a swing to the Left for the euro zone's third-largest economy as Mr Prodi brings to power his cumbersome coalition which ranges from old school Communists to Catholic moderates.
Mr Prodi welcomed the long-awaited resignation. "Now it's up to us to form a new government in the timescale that will be set out by the president," he said.
Mr Ciampi, whose period of office ends on 18 May, is under pressure to have Mr Prodi in power by then.
good riddance
So you view Prodi as an improvement?
I would prefer a conservative, but Silvio is a joke and a criminal
even Chirac would have been better...
Silvio wasn't exactly a beacon for conservatism - maybe he was the best advertisement the commis in Italy ever had.
A brief study of Italian politics between WWII and the present is reminiscent of a 1960s Italian western film ("spaghetti western") called "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (which movie contained no "good guy" characters). It appears that there are no "good guys" in Italian politics.
the guy is a mental case - did you see when he started to sing in his speech a few days ago? Strange country, Italy...
Although he was a good supporter in the war on terror, it was time for him to go - don't worry, sooner or later the conservatives will be back in business with serious politicians.
Yes. He has publicly compared himself to Jesus and Napoleon. After he found out that he was losing the Election, he called the Italian people in general an unmentionable name (having to do with men's genitalia).
comping
It's not even about prodi but about his crickety commi construction he's leading as an excuse for a government... that wouldn't last long... but who's a good and trustworthy italian conservative ?
"but who's a good and trustworthy italian conservative ?"
If I knew that, I would be qualified for a job in the Bush administration.
" _ _ _ _ _ _ _'s crickety commi construction he's leading as an excuse for a government"
-fill in the blanks with any european prime minister of your choice...
(Raises hand).
Silvio Berlusconi, the algore of Italy.
then what you waiting for - run for prime minister !
LOL! Guess I can spare 6 months or so to head an Italian government before it collapses. Have the wine ready when I get there!
The next conservative guy down there needs to be nailed to the seat for at least 12 years -if it's not a next berlusconi or musolini or what these guys names are.
(don't now too much of italian political scene - I am in germany and from there.)
Silvio a joke and a criminal? Why only a year ago he was everyone's hero here on FR. At least he had the guts to say politically incorrect things in the WOT.
Is Berlusconi related to Al Gore?
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