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A Voyage into the Wonderful World of Italian Politics

Battleship Fires off one of many Broadsides at its Critics

Despite the golden opportunity presented by the latest in a long line of scandals regarding Italy’s right wing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s left has failed to depose Italy’s controversial leader. One reason for this is that it is uncertain as to who exactly runs Italy’s left of centre Democratic Party – the PD.

Generally, it is clear who captains which political parties in Italy, as you will discover from this nautically flavoured voyage into the world of Italian politics.

I’ll kick off with the battleship.

Silvio Berlusconi Advertises Italy

Berlusconi

Unless you’ve been hiding under a stone for the last six months or so, you may well have heard about the latest scandal stroke pending legal trouble for Italy’s extravagant party loving lady’s man and prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Aside from legal charges which are about to be levelled at Berlusconi regarding abuse of power and aiding and abetting prostitution with minors, another charge is that Berlusconi’s antics have seriously damaged the perception of Italians and the image of Italy around the world.

There is, however, that fairly well known adage which goes, “any publicity is better than no publicity”, which you may have come across.

Berlusconi, Antigua, Report, Question Marks

Silvio Berlusconi

The Report documentary programme broadcast by the RAI 3 television channel is already unpopular with Italy’s government for shedding light on many of Italy’s dark sides. Last night, despite threats from Berlusconi’s lawyer who wanted to ban the programme, Report covered Silvio Berlusconi’s ownership of a luxury residential complex in offshore tax haven, Antigua. Report’s report raised a few questions.

The Mafia in Italy – Two Schools of Thought

While I may be right in claiming that the vast majority of Italians think mafia type organised crime is bad for Italy, there are other Italians, possibly in a minority, who don’t think criminal organisations like Italy’s various flavours of mafia are so bad, especially for their back accounts.

Berlusconi Will Win Italy Again

Berlusconi’s government looks as though it is in trouble, but it is probable that Silvio Berlusconi would like nothing more than to go to the country. If he does manage to push Italy towards general elections, he will win again, because Italy’s left know zero about marketing.

Italy’s Mafia Could become an Explosive Problem

Coming back on the train from Genoa yesterday, I read our friend Cristina’s copy of Internazionale, an Italian news magazine which contains articles from major media sources from around the world that have been translated in to Italian.

Italy, One, P2, P3

Strange days in Italy. Whilst digging into illicit goings on surrounding the awarding of contracts for wind farms in Sardinia, Italy’s carabinieri police appear to have uncovered the insidious sequel to a mysterious illegal masonic group known as Propaganda 2, or P2 for short. Italy’s press have wasted no time in labelling the sequel, Propaganda 3. Or P3 for short.

Ill Winds Blowing from Sardinia

Yet another story of corruption is reverberating around Italy’s press as I write. This time, in the wake of the Berlusconi government’s embarrassment over the Aldo Brancher affair, various people are alleged to have been tampering with tenders for the construction of wind farms on the Italian island of Sardinia.

Silvio Berlusconi Calling

This week during a political chat show called Ballarò, Italy’s flamboyant prime minister rang during the show to call a La Repubblica journalist a liar, and to state that he has never condoned tax evasion in Italy. That was not all, Berlusconi also questioned the results of a poll which indicated that support for the Berlusconi government has fallen.