So its a wave goodbye to Europe's equivalent to the late (and unlamented) 'Gadfather', Silvio Berlusconi.
Italians for the most part, seem relieved (despite the fact that they kept voting for him in large numbers), but for us at PC Towers, this is a sad loss, as we cast around for a new political figure of fun.
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| Silvio Berlusconi - Last Roman Emperor? |
Italians for the most part, seem relieved (despite the fact that they kept voting for him in large numbers), but for us at PC Towers, this is a sad loss, as we cast around for a new political figure of fun.
Now Italian politics as they are, there is a chance that Silvio will be back, but his age and the scandals are against him, and now his enemies will feel free to pursue him through the courts, so it seems unlikely that he will be back. However like an old lion, he may have lost his teeth, but he can still give a nasty suck .... so don't expect him to go down without a fight.
Still with Silvio gone, the pickings for political fun at the high table are thin indeed ..... so its not goodbye, its just 'Arrivederci' Silvio, you'll be missed here.
Update: In March 2017 he said that he intends to run once again as centre-right candidate for the premiership, even though he is banned from public office until 2019 because of criminal convictions. The 2018 general election, if he runs, will be his seventh one .... we watch with interest.
Still with Silvio gone, the pickings for political fun at the high table are thin indeed ..... so its not goodbye, its just 'Arrivederci' Silvio, you'll be missed here.
Update: In March 2017 he said that he intends to run once again as centre-right candidate for the premiership, even though he is banned from public office until 2019 because of criminal convictions. The 2018 general election, if he runs, will be his seventh one .... we watch with interest.
You have to laugh, the Italian system of proportional representation (PR) means that its unlikely that any government will last much more than a year, and be weak most of the time.
ReplyDeleteThe seat threshold of 2 percent for parties in a coalition, and just 4 percent for single parties, meant that in 2006 more than 20 parties won a seat.
The technocrat government just put in place will be the 62nd Government since World War Two! Thats just about one every 1.2 yrs (especially as full elections for the 63rd will be next year sometime).
This is just another sticking plaster that will peel off as soon as it gets wet, just like the Greek one.
Paolo Gentiloni's government, which formed in 2016, is Italy’s 65th since January 1, 1946 (71 years).
DeleteThank god for the arrival of 'The Donald'.
ReplyDelete