It is a good thing that Berlusconi has resigned as Prime Minister. Hallelujah.
Some people are upset about the way in which Berlusconi was forced to leave office. Those who are upset fall into two camps. One left-leaning camp is upset that Berlusconi was forced out by bond traders. One right-leaning camp (at least the version [...]
… is the Economist’s take on Berlusconi.
I don’t agree with the Economist on everything. But they have been consistently on target in their coverage of Berlusconi.
For any Italophones who are curious: I don’t have a leak of the 389 page investigative dossier, and you most definitely shouldn’t e-mail me for a copy at c dot hanretty at uea dot ac dot uk
Ouch.
le dichiarazioni testimoniali… fanno ritenere che Minetti Nicole, in concorso con Fede Emilio e Mora Dario ['Lele'], nonché in concorso con ulteriori soggetti, abbia continuativamente svolto un’attività di induzione e favoreggiamento della prostituzione di soggetti maggiorenni, e della minore EL MAHROUG KARIMA, individuando, selezionando, accompagnando un rilevante numero di giovani donne, che si sono prostitute [...]
I don’t know how relevant this is, but it’s worth noting that of today’s rebels — those who voted for the government in the Camera — none has a declared 2008 income which is greater than the median declared income:
Antonio Razzi – 129161 (bottom 40%)
Domenico Scilipoti – 86479 (bottom 5%)
Maria Grazia Siliquini – 129009 [...]
Repubblica runs the numbers of what’ll happen five days from now in the confidence vote. The options they list?
Centre-right w/o Berlusconi (PdL, Lega, Fli, UDC)
Technical government (FLI, UDC, Mpa, API, PD)
Electoral law reform government (as above, plus IDV)
PDL + Lega with dissolution of the Camera
The last strikes me as most fanciful.
Strangely, Berlusconi’s issues with Ruby Rubacuori have gained more traction than many other arguably more serious issues. Two parliamentarians have jumped ship to join Gianfranco Fini. Is this significant?
This is why it pays to establish your own micro-party in Italian politics.
And this is when Berlusconi is at his best. It’s not quite the LBJ treatment, but I imagine it’s almost as effective.
So Berlusconi and Fini have fallen out, and the Popolo della Libertà has split.
Berlusconi wants Fini to leave the post of President of the Chamber of Deputies, but, as I mentioned before, there are no provisions for no-confidencing the President of the Chamber.
Berlusconi’s allies are giving the example of Sandro Pertini, who offered his resignation [...]
This interview with Carlo Taormina is fantastic. Key points (all according to Taormina):
The “processo breve” is a bargaining tool. Offering to remove it from the agenda can be seen as a concession; a concession can win quick approval of a text of “legitimate impediment”.
The bill on “legitimate impediment” (repeated postponement of trial hearings due to [...]