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[url] http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/14/silvio-berlusconi-italian-referendum [/url]
Italians were called to the ballot box to give their verdict on three crucial government policies: first they had the opportunity to repeal the famous "legitimate impediment" – the law that gave Berlusconi automatic immunity from trial proceedings (already partially revoked by the constitutional court). Second, they had the chance to stop another controversial reform brought in by Berlusconi's government: water privatisation. Finally, they were able to vote against Berlusconi's energy policy, which bucks the current European trend in proposing the construction of nuclear plants in high-risk seismic Italy.
Have you been to Italy? The suns out, they'll all be sat outside a cafe drinking wine and eating fantastic food while checking out the scenery, then probably nipping off for a bit of hows-yer-father with one of their mates wives, then a doze.
Voting? What's that? How on earth do you think he's managed to get away with it for this long?
Ahem...
And Italians have spoken. They said no to the current government's most controversial policies. They said no to an undemocratic law that placed the prime minister above the law and prevented him from ever coming to trial. They said no to water privatisation and, again, no to nuclear energy.
Despite the government imposing a 50% threshold...
I am just back from italy - the campaign for no on the referenda was everywhere - well deserved bloody nose. its the beginning of the end for him - and about time too
its the beginning of the end for him
I can't help thinking I've heard that an awful lot of times before Teej.
The fact is that the Italian opposition are like the Peoples front of Judea/Judean Popular peoples front in the Life of Brian. They're far too busy bickering with each other to bother about Silvio's exploits. Leaving him free to shag underage hookers with impunity, while taking corruption to new never-dreamed-of levels
I know its been heard before but it seems there is a real change in mood now.
Likewise. I work with a Milanese and he just doesn't see what the fuss is. Not seen the north/south europe divide so blatantly in anything else.
My wife is Italian [from near Naples]
Binners summary in his first post is pretty close in a lot of cases, at Christmas I tried bringing up Berlusconi a couple of times with my Father in Law and brother in law, only to get a shrug and the conversation to turn back to football.
The women of the family really haven't got that much idea what he does/doesn't do at all
I know a few Italians and have spent a bit of time out there. As you've probably noted while out there TJ, the average Italian has a very nice lifestyle, thank you very much. They (mainly) seem to just accept that the hooker-shagging, cronyism, racism (bordering on fascism) and endemic corruption are acceptable if they continue to deliver the above. ie:
The suns out, they'll all be sat outside a cafe drinking wine and eating fantastic food while checking out the scenery, then probably nipping off for a bit of hows-yer-father with one of their mates wives, then a doze.
I can't help thinking it'd be the same anywhere else, given the lifestyle
The Italians I work with hate him, and think he is an embarrassment to the country, but they are outside and see the stories through a media he doesn't control.
Its like the media message against the health plans in America, most would vote against it even though they would be better with it. And the media message in the UK that constantly rising house prices are good, even though they are and will be damaging generations to come.
The media control in Europe and America is every bit as bad as that in China