Posted on 04/14/2008 8:05:37 PM PDT by twntaipan
Huge, perhaps historic, victory for Berlusconi's "Popolo della liberta' " (which translates a bit awkwardly as "the people of liberty;" maybe it's better to call it "the freedom folks"). It's considerably worse than AP lets on. Berlusconi defeated Walter Veltroni's "Democratic Party" by a full 9 points in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. And since the Italian electoral system gives a bonus to the winning side, the margins are very big and stable: 340 to 241 in the Chamber (with another 36 for a couple of small parties), and 167 to 137 in the Senate (with 5 to three little parties), which was expected to be a photo finish. Eighty percent voted, down about three percent from last time.
The big news is that the Communists are gone, for the first time since the end of the Second World War. Really gone. They didn't win a single seat in either chamber. A lot of famous faces will vanish from Parliament, and it is even possible, although unlikely, that some of the comrades will be forced to join the working class. The Greens are also gone. In fact, there are only six parties in the new Parliament, suggesting that Italy's well on the road to a two-party political system instead of the dreadful proportional electoral model that has destroyed virtually every country where it's been applied. If that happens, a lot of the credit goes to Veltroni, who created a real center-left party and refused to admit the old Left.
Tomorrow's papers will pretend that this didn't happen, and warn that Berlusconi's allies in the Northern League are mercurial and dangerous, and that his majority isn't as stable as it looks. But it is. And there's an even more annoying feature to these elections, as seen by the chattering classes: Berlusconi is an outspoken, even passionate admirer of George W. Bush and the United States of America. Reminds one of the elections that brought Sarkozy to the Elysee, doesn't it? Best to keep that quiet, or somebody might notice that hatred of America doesn't seem to affect the voters in Italy, France or Germany.
It's too soon to start talking about the ministers-to-be, but it will all get sorted out very quickly. At least Italy won't have to suffer with the likes of Massimo D'Alema any more. He's the former prime minister and recent foreign minister who proudly announced that major part of his time was devoted to protecting Iran from American pressure. He'll now spend more time on his proletarian yacht, usually based in Croatia...
Somewhere a Democrat is weeping.
Love them italians.
Vell Tone Mr. Veltroni! Vay To Keep the Old Left out!
Unfortunately, it might affect the voters in the US by electing someone who keeps associating himself with that crowd.
Great news!
Pro-American conservative governments elected in Germany, France, and now Italy. Bush sure has made America unpopular in the world.
For a world that hates Geroge W. Bush’s America, they sure seem to be electing a lot of its admirers.
P.S. I left out South Korea.
That would be sweet!
How sweet it is. ;o)
I wonder if anti-muslim and anti-immigrant sentiment is responsible. If only we had a Republican running for President this year, they could sweep back into the White House and Congress on a platform of enforcing the border, reducing spending and taking the war to our enemies.
And don’t forget Canada. Harper is really pro-American, hated by the left, and yet he is hanging in there.
pretty cool. i’ll celebrate with veal, spaghetti, and pugliese bread tomorrow ;)
This is Hugh!! Although, I think he exaggerates the pro-American stance of Germans, Frenchmen, and Italians, at least they are not open enemies now.
The really good news is out of South Korea. The premier there is actually more conservative than our current admin (and, sadly, any any admin we're likely to see in 2009). Nevertheless, he actually aims to topple the North Korean regime peacefully, Reagan style. That would be truly HUGH.
Gosh, I don't think so. Wouldn't that be ... Libertarian ?
I really cannot express how tremendously happy I am today: no communists in parliament and a strong convervative goverment? Whoa, is that really Italy, my home beloved Country? That's great! Awesome! Fantastic! Now Italy and USA can be friend again!
Also, I want to thank Mr Veltroni, the loser: thank you for getting rid of the communists...you're quite late, but better late than ever!
VIVA ITALIA VIVA USA
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