A new Italy...

It reminds me a song from Andrew Lloyds Webber musical, Evita. The title was "A New Argentina" and referred to Peron ascension to power. Not much changed after that in Argentina and things got from bad to worse between military rulings, lousy presidents, corrupted politician and all the nice things that have happened in recent years in that beautiful country. Let's not forget that Argentinians have Italian blood and this can be something that has screwed up their genes and their way of seeing and perceive their political class. There is something new happening in Italy. Veltroni's DP (Democratic Party) has decided to run the elections by itself, without any allies and without any special election agreements for the Senate. The current system is a mess and only if you have a strong consent you can win. However Veltroni knows that he is gonna loose the election so, why not losing standing alone? He made very clear, yesterday, that the new party doesn't have anything in common with the radical left parties. Once again in a country that aimed to have two main political parties divided between Left and Right, we are going to see the battle of the Centrists. Italy is a centrist, moderate country, and trying to make a distinction between the parties being part of the two different areas is something that can be understood only if you know how dirty politics is in Italy. for a centrist party, the main choice is done according to the seats in Parliament, the number of ministers and Secretaries and Chairmen of public companies. for a foreign observer it might sound quite strange that the former communist Veltroni, keeps distances from Lenin's grandchildren but eyes the centre. Well only understanding what I said above can make things clearer. governments in Italy fal due to the centrist parties, not the extremes. During the legislation going to end on April 13th, the biggest pain in the neck to the Prodi Government were the Christian Democrats not the communist. So, dear Veltroni, I do understand that you want to run alone, launching a challenge for Berlusconi's Forza Italia to do the same but the dwarf is far too interested in getting back to power and he is fishing very little party around to go to power once again. And he will.

I support Veltroni idea but I do not support the distances he is taking from the Reds. I think that the Christian Democrats and the Church manipulating them is far more dangerous than a bunch of nostalgic.

Revolving Doors... Snap Elections for Italy.

So, Italy will vote (again) in April. The caretaker Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, will announce today the date of the elections after the attempt to form a transactional government to change the election law and some other new Institutional new to run the Republic, has failed. Mr. Marini, Speaker of the Upper House (Senate) had to give up and informed President Napolitano about the impossibility to reach any agreement that would allow him to form a Government. So, the 62nd Government in 60 years will be a Berlusconi Government after April elections that the Media tycoon will certainly win.
What to say? Just that Italians are masochist an politicians know that so they do as much as possible to keep them happy. The art of complaining is fundamental in Italy's life and in my round the world trips I have seen very few countries with this kind of attitude. One of this is Poland. Perhaps it has something to do with being historically profoundly catholic? It could be. The art of forgiveness has been created from the Christian Bible. Italians have an incredibly short memory and only like this we can allow our politician to do whatever they please. It's pointless to go back a few years to remind you all the times Italians have forgiven and forgotten what our politicians have done. I would like to remember though that Fini, leader of the National Alliance Party, the strongest ally to Berlusconi's Forza Italia, was the only party of that alliance to collect signatures for a referendum that would have changed completely the current law. The party used their own people to collect signatures and to Berlusconi's thunders replied with a "who says that he is the leader?". After that a series of accusations and so on. Same on the Northern League side and the UDC side. Fathers against children. all of a sudden, thanks to one of the most controversial political figures in Italy, Mastella, and due to his personal interests in politics, the Prodi Government falls. And the Right wing coalition finds a new enthusiasm. Enthusiasm in Italy comes from occupying political positions and the loss of enthusiasm is due to the loss of it accompanied by the loss of personal returns. This is my country and now, once again a Berlusconi government will occupy Chigi Palace. Revolving doors... That's Italy! and the worst thing is that Berlusconi governments tend to stay in power much longer than any other...

Something new in the Italian Air! At last!

Berlusconi...

He is something new. Even politicians who declared eternal love followed by eternal hate are now backing his return to seat as Prime Minister of this shameless country. 18 years later we still have this man around... 18 years! and they talk about instability! I guess no democratic country has ever seen the same people in power for two decades and more. But this can just be the proof that we are not a democratic country, after all...

While the Speaker of the Senate is trying to form a government to reform the Electoral law, Berlusconi and his allies are now pushing towards the elections. In the meantime the small UDC centrist party has split and another party has been formed... How nice!

Anyway, read what the Int'l Herald Tribune has to say and if this is not enough read the Economist that can have another 5 years of go at one of the oddest figures of the Italian history

In Italy, the return of Berlusconi, the 'brutta figura'
By Ian Fisher and Elisabetta Povoledo
Friday, February 1, 2008

ROME: For Silvia Tomassini, owner of a boutique in Rome's ancient center, Silvio Berlusconi is "arrogant." At 71, he is too old. He is "a strange politician, not a normal one," she says, who endlessly commits "brutta figura," which loosely means you cannot take the man anywhere nice.

Yet when elections come again to Italy - and they may soon because the center-left government of Prime Minister Romano Prodi fell last week - Tomassini will vote for Berlusconi. Polls show that nearly two years after he lost the prime minister's office, Berlusconi would probably win. In Tomassini's case, she does not love him but thinks he cares for working people. Plus she hates the other side.

"He's not a person of class or culture," she said. "But he's better than the center-left."

When Berlusconi - Italy's richest man, its media king and the leader of the political center-right - won election in 2001, he promised something new: An outsider entrepreneur, he would bring action and hope to do-nothing politics.

Having lived through five recent years with Berlusconi as prime minister, most Italians know pretty clearly what they will be getting. He is now less a promising novelty than one option among the few open to voters, polarizing Italians into nearly equal camps for and against him.

Those who oppose him are appalled that, knowing what they do, Italians could even think of choosing him again. The list of complaints is long, starting from his unconventional oratory - "I am the Jesus Christ of politics," he said in 2006. "I sacrifice myself for everyone." - and ending up, inevitably, with what critics contend is his corruption.

"We've seen Berlusconi at work and we've seen that above all he's got his own interests at heart, passing tailor-made laws to avoid trouble or get advantages," said Eugenio Scalfari, a former editor in chief of La Repubblica, a liberal newspaper that has strongly opposed Berlusconi.

Scalfari cited, as an example, Berlusconi's acquittal this week on false-accounting charges in the case of the sale of the SME food conglomerate. The court's decision was based on the fact that the charges were considered a lesser criminal offense under changes made to the legal code in 2002 by the Berlusconi government.

Supporters, if several degrees less fervent than years ago, point to what they say were real, if limited, accomplishments in his term, which ended in 2006. Economic growth may have been zero, but he lasted a full five years, a record in Italy, bringing a new level of political stability.

He has been given credit for nurturing a more-or-less bipolar politics, divided into two recognizable sides. And he remains the leader of the center-right, making him the only choice when an unpopular center-left government like Prodi's falls.

"There's nobody else - and he's very popular," said Paolo Guzzanti, a journalist and senator in Berlusconi's party, Forza Italia. "Berlusconi is hated for the same reasons he is beloved: He is an outspoken man. He is still considered not a political person, even if he has been in politics since 1994. He is always unpredictable, breaking old games and suggesting a new way."

Nearly 14 years after he served his first, brief term as prime minister, Berlusconi's well-financed machine is showing signs of wear: He had a pacemaker implanted after he collapsed in public in 2006. His dyed and ever-more-robust hair, his plastic surgery, his oddly reddish face makeup (television viewers could see the line on his neck in a recent interview) all remain part of Italy's running national chuckle.

And his allies, never completely loyal, have come scrambling back reluctantly since Prodi fell. Late last year, one key member of the coalition, the suave and articulate Gianfranco Fini, head of the National Alliance, declared that he had broken forever with Berlusconi. It was, he said, "a closed case."

"He is a man with a very strict scale of moral values, and in first place are his own personal interests," Fini was quoted in La Repubblica as telling a friend. The history behind the split is typically complicated: Fini was reacting in part to Berlusconi's public and failed effort to bring down Prodi's government in November. Also, one of Berlusconi's three television stations broadcast an embarrassing video of Fini's new girlfriend, a showgirl and lawyer, with a former lover.

While Berlusconi and his allies lead in most polls published in recent weeks, he is only the likely winner - not the certain one. He will probably face the popular mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, who is media savvy and nearly 20 years younger than Berlusconi. Some of the polls have shown the new Democratic Party, which Veltroni leads, just a bit behind Berlusconi and his allies.

Next week, the Senate president, Franco Marini, will decide whether there is enough support in Parliament to create a temporary government or, as Berlusconi advocates, call elections as soon as possible.

In the end, many Italians say the main issue is not so much Berlusconi but the Italian electoral system itself, a system that offers few choices for voters.

Emilio Giannelli, a popular political cartoonist who depicts Berlusconi as a cunning dwarf in platform shoes, said he cannot work up excitement to begin drawing him again.

"Even for political cartoonists change is good because these eternal personalities bore even those who have to draw them," Giannelli said. "We have been drawing Berlusconi for 18 years, and we're tired of it."

Asked which Italian politician he might prefer to draw as prime minister, Giannelli, who like Berlusconi is 71, said: "I want young people, new people, people with new ideas.

"I would happily go into retirement if I saw young and capable people in power."

Daniele Pinto contributed reporting from Rome.

Prodi seeks confidence vote...

and declares that he defended Mastella (make a search looking at the keywords to find out what happened) but Mastella's party declares that they will not vote the confidence to the Government. In the meantime with or without votes the Government has the numbers to go ahead at the lower house where today Prodi went to verify if his government still got a majority. I really wonder why he didn't go to the upper house instead, where he would have definitely had to resign due to the very small majority he has got there.

Anyway, while Americans have to decide between Obama and Clinton and they are surprised about the latest reciprocal attacks, in Italy the choice is between the usual people, a bunch of oligarchs attached to their chairs as much as a character of the Peanuts to his security blanket. Holding power not to go to jail. This is the constant soundtrack and, as Mastella himself said, as they could not send him to jail they attacked his wife. I say... Good! I hope that a few more wives and lovers might end up in jail.

It's really unbelievable how some dishonest politicians tend to pass as martyrs of the system. Frankly, this country, is giving me nausea and I really would love to see some major changes, a revolution, a coup, I just don't care, as long as they wipe off this arrogant and shameless political class. On the other side we have a 70 years old youngster involved in all the scandals of the last 20 years and still running as leader of the opposition coalition, supported by Fini, after they have been throwing shit at each other... What a mean country! Once again, only Casini, UDC, keeps saying that Berlusconi is not his leader...

Mr. Prodi, go home, amongst all the politicians you are the only one that I can partially save. See you when you will probably be President of this Banana Republic.

Time to go Mr Prodi

I still cannot believe that Prodi is holding is Premiership with the teeth... Mr. Mastella, the disgraced justice minister that resigned after allegation of corruption charges and reported already in this Blog, is looking for the coalition solidarity in exchange of the support from his party to the government. He is shooting on former judge Di Pietro and Pecorario Scanio (the environmental minister accused of being the main culprit in Campania rubbish mess). Mr Mastella has been accusing the investigating judges of being inadequate to the job and being openly against him, his wife and his party.

Frankly I would rather resign than showing solidarity to someone that has made of his party his own kingdom and holds the tight grip on Campania's politics and has taken the place of the old lords swept away from the Bribesville scandal in which Di Pietro, now a minister of the incumbent government, was the key figure.

Come on, do a favour to Italy, resign!

in the meantime the leader of the Democratic Party,  Walter Veltroni, has declared of being fedup with all this cheap blackmailing going on concerning the election law and he has publicly announced that the DP will be running next elections alone,  without any other coalition party, no matter which law will be used to vote. He has invited Berlusconi's Forza Italia to do the same. Strong criticism have fallen on him from every sector of the Parliament and even within his own party the fear of losing the power is strong. I think that this is the first serious declaration that Veltroni has made since his election at leader of the newly formed party and I hope that Berlusconi will accept to do the same with Forza Italia. I guess that the majority of the Italians would be very happy to see a true election challenge between the two parties. But, as Penelope's work, every night whatever has been done in the day is normally undone... Waiting for Ulysses to come back... In this case I think we are just waiting either for Godot or for someone with a big charisma to bring down the whole establishment once and for all and continue what Bribesville didn't manage to do: destroy this fake democratic system we have.

On january 20th, Pecoraro Scanio, the environment Minister accused by the centrist of being the cause of the rubbish crisis in Campania, has declared that if he doesn't get support from the majority he might call the day... So we have two politicians accusing each other and both looking for the smpathy of the government they are part of... cool!

Here is the man that will make the Prodi government fall

Wikipedia gives a clear picture of this sort of liberal democratic personality.
Member of Bank of Italy, Former Prime Minister and Minister a few times, founder of a small party bearing his name "Lista Dini" and now just another leader of a tiny little party called "Liberal Democratici"... Please note that the initials of his parties always match with his own initials, Lamberto Dini.

He benefits from pensions from the World Bank and Bank of Itayl, plus the MP one, as soon as he will stop attending the Parliament but his name is associated to the first serious Pension Law... Not bad for someone who has 3 or 4 pension all fat cat stile...

Add to this that his wife was married to a powerful businessman and now she has an empire between Costa Rica and Italy. Add as well, that she has been recently accused of fraudulent bankruptcy but has benefited from the amnesty law that passed last year in the effort to empty the Italian jails (now they are as full as they were before anyway).

This gentleman has been elected thanks to his reputation, not because of his political base, and his party has never represented more than 1% of the Italian electorate. In the current picture he represents 1% of the current majority, this means 1% of the 25% that would vote again for the incumbent government. A few thousand people nationwide, just to be clear.

So, a man that has changed parties as an actress changes parfumes, a small version of Berlusconi, that makes up his own parties according to needs and merges them, someone that keeps on floating and appearing just when things are not good for the coalition is with, is the man that will make Prodi fall. He just said that either Prodi will accept his program or he will withdraw the support... With the thin majority in the Senate, Dini can well do this, but he still represent himself and nobody else in this country…

Prodi has declared that he will continue and if there is no more overall majority, they can vote against him and he will gladly resign.

Liberal Democratic my ass! Get lost Dini! Another one to be added to the hypocrites list. There isn't such a thing as liberal in Italy. Let's make it clear once and for all.

The government fall is something positive but being shot down by Lamberto Dini is frankly a bloody joke!

Another confidence vote for a government that has no confidence in itself

The End is Nigh…

I mentioned in a previous article in the Blog you see aside…
I was mentioning that the second (and hopefully, last) Prodi Government would have fell.

Well there are good chances that today this will happen. Version 1.0 of the Budget Law (yes, in this country the budget is approved as any other State law and not presented to the Parliament for votes and most of the amendments are proposed by the parties supporting the majority, sic!) passed the exams a few weeks ago thanks to the votes of the unelected senators. Now, after being in the lower house and being changed furthermore, the law goes back to the Senate and will bear a confidence vote for a Budget Law that hasn’t got much in common with the first version dished out of the Senate…

Tax have increased, some benefits for family with disabled children have been cancelled because the Treasury couldn’t find 1.5 million euro (sic!) out of 16 billion euro to allow children with the down syndrome to benefit from their parents pension in case of their death because in this politically correct fucking country someone affected by down syndrome is considered as able as a football player…

The budget this year has made everybody unhappy. The LibDem reckon that it is too much towards the requests of the Radical Leftists and the latter think that it’s too liberal…

At the end Lamberto Dini, LibDem, will feel free to vote against it and make the government fall.

Even the Head of State, Napolitano, former communist, has criticized the decision to have a confidence vote for the budget.

My point of view is that the budget should be presented and not discussed and if the Parliament votes against it, the government should resign. I see that every single law should be subject to a confidence vote and it’s ridiculous that from September to December, every single year, the Parliament has to discuss about the Budget and in Spring start discussing about the 5 years economic plan…

I sincerely hope that the government will not survive this confidence vote and that a caretaker government will be in place just to wait for the referendum result next spring to modify the current election law and go to vote for a new government that will not see Berlusconi or Prodi running as Prime Minister even if it hard to believe that the Anointed of God will ever give up pretending to be the only answer to Italian problems.


Updates - 20th Dec 2007 - 22:30

2 of the 3 confidence vote have passed smoothly as the possible rebel MPs voted with the majority and 5 unelected senators. The 3rd vote is due tomorrow but some MPs have declared that the budget will be the last law they will vote in support of this government and after that they will feel free. In the meantime one of the most criticised Minister of this Government, Mastella, leader of the small UDEUR party has declared that there should be no majority meeting in January and that the only solution foreseeable is going back to the ballots. The torture continues....

Updates - 21st Dec 2007 - 10:00

Approved the budget for 2008. Even the 3rd confidence vote has been in favour of the government in power. Now, the true problems start. Elections soon or a bipartisan government to go through some reforms? If this government will stand I think that someone will need to involve the judiciary power because it's impossible to believe that such a divided coalition could find an agreement on all the open issues, unless there are some exchange of favours.
The torture continues... Merry Xmas Italy!