Irish politics or Italian politics: which disgusts you most?

Rebelheart

OK, Italy is probably the most attractive country in the world when it comes to all that romance nonsense. But still, I am even more amazed at the life and times of Silvio Berlusconi, the latest of which are verging on paedophilia.

He also controls most of Italy's national newspapers and uses them to support his politics. A sufficient number of Italian people, in full knowledge of this, voted him into power nevertheless. In fact this is his third time to be elected as Prime Minister of Italy. This, it should be noted, is a record in Italian politics. He has managed to call a German MEP who disagreed with him a "Nazi" and has, well, done so much which would not be accepted in any civilised liberal democracy. Here's the (very long) Wikipedia guide to this individual's "controversies": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silvio_Berlusconi#Controversies

And we'll just overlook the entire mafia involvement in politics and the "removal" (read: assassination) of judges who investigate one of the countless scandals in Italian politics or the linkage between established popular Italian politicians and the very same Cosa Nostra.

Meanwhile, Ireland needs no explanation.

In your view, is Irish politics as bad as Italian politics?

Midnight_EG

Me no speak Italiano.

squod

No

Can't compare the two. We've become class leader at corruption since the government made us bail out Anglo's private debt.

Wolfe Tone

I think Berlusconi is hilarious.

ballsymchugh

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1101/breaking24.html

or

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/7265423/Silvio-Berlusconi-shortlists-dental-hygienist-as-political-candidate.html

no competition.

Mike 1972

I'm Irish so Irish politics repels me most

Rebelheart wrote: »

He has managed to call a German MEP who disagreed with him a "Nazi"

From a guy who sits in a coalition government with openly fascist parties :rolleyes:

Wolfe Tone

Mike 1972 wrote: »

From a guy who sits in a coalition government with openly fascist parties :rolleyes:

He told the german he wouldnt look out of place running a concentration camp.


I lold

My name is URL

They are both equally repellent.

Italy is a quagmire of corruption.. they don't even try to hide it that much. I know Ireland is far-far from perfect but as long as Berlusconi is in power I wouldn't even consider the country to be a legitimate democracy

bonerm

They are both equally repellent.

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Me no speak Italiano.

hey Vinny how about a pizza? i gotta no job!

LolNoob

They are both equally repellent.

How could you hate Berlusconi? The man is a comic hero!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acVqHjMQFq4&feature=related

I've no issue with Irish politics. Corruption exists everywhere, we're not doing so bad.

Mike 1972

I'm Irish so Irish politics repels me most

MUSSOLINI wrote: »

He told the german he wouldnt look out of place running a concentration camp.

Was this a job offer ?

SarahBM

I'm Irish so Irish politics repels me most

heard about Berlisconi and his "parties"

Isnt that called a think in here?

Riddle101

I'm Irish so Irish politics repels me most

I voted both are equally repellent. But Berlusconi just disgusts me.

scientific1982

I dont give a **** what happens the Italians. Our crowd are taking the piss though.

mike65

At least Fianna Fail don't have a media empire at their beck and call....

Poor Uncle Tom

But I bet the Italians get Parmesan.....

smk89

One system has an old man shagging sexy barely legal bikini clad women and the other has... wait... what.

ooh yeah Mary Harney

TheZohanS

I'm Irish so Irish politics repels me most

Riddle101 wrote: »

I voted both are equally repellent. But Berlusconi just disgusts me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsTGScquEA8

Won't disagree with you there.

GLaDOS

Rebelheart wrote: »

But still, I am even more amazed at the life and times of Silvio Berlusconi, the latest of which are verging on paedophilia.

Eh... She was 17, not even close.

bronte

I'm Irish so Irish politics repels me most

Politics in general disgusts me. That Slivio guy is a particularly hateful creature.

Agricola

I'm Irish so Irish politics repels me most

The parallels between Irish and Italian society are numerous. Both oppressed under the Catholic church, both have corruption and back scratching as core components in their political cultures, both enjoy some of the hottest weather and the hottest women in the world............... oh hold on a sec!

I give the Italians a slight pass on their dubious morals though, the reason being the revel in it really. Getting one over on "the man" is an art from in Italy and something which is highly praised. Tax evasion is a hobby over there! At least they are upfront about it. We on the other claim to be paragons of virtue, when in reality we are as bad as them, the only difference being we don't want to admit it.

Mike 1972

I'm Irish so Irish politics repels me most

Agricola wrote: »

Getting one over on "the man" is an art from in Italy

Getting one over on "the man" is all well and good until the point where "the man" is doing it too ?

southsiderosie

They are both equally repellent.

ScienceNerd wrote: »

Eh... She was 17, not even close.

Technically the age of consent in Italy is 14.

Berlusconi has a history of cavorting with very young women though; it was a huge issue in his divorce.

The Italian government is far, far worse than the Irish government.

Blackpitts

They are both equally repellent.

I'm Italian and I can tell that the italian politics is the worst in the world for sure.
However, you make a big mistake if you really think that all the Italians love Silvio Berlusconi because I can tell that there is a big chunck of the population HATING him, and I'm part of it.
I always find difficult to explain why people keep voting for him, but let me try to recap for you.
1) Media: he owns the 3 biggest private channels and (as prime minister) he can nominate the top management of the national TVs.
This means that 6 out of the 7 main TV channels are under his control, so you can hardly hear a bad news about him on TV. Imagine to have Bertie in charge of RTE1, 2, C4 and SKY here in Ireland, no bad comments about FF, no news about the recession but only good news about the good results as Taoisech...who do you think alla the coulchies in Donegal and Mayo would vote for during the next general election?

2) Banks and other companies: he owns a lot of companies (Mondadori publishing house, Mediolanum bank and insurance, few construction companies, few great distribution chains etc..), he is the perfect definition of "conflict of interests", but all his employees vote for him because £strangely" all his companies are doing very good since he became PM. Having him out of power means poor business.

3) TINA -> there is no alternative, more or less like Fine Gael here.
The opposition party in Italy is a joke, always fighting between themselves and they are constantly criticised by the media (see point 1)

4) Sport: all the AC Milan fans love him. The team won everything under his leadership.
If you are a ManU fan but a FF voter, how difficult would be for you to hate Roy Keane if he was a Fine Gael minister?

5) Rich, powerful, funny and full of women: let's admit it, everyone secretly would like to be like him, not only in Italy.
"I'm not scared of Berlusconi, I'm scared of the Berlusconi in me" said a great singer long time ago, I think he is right.

I can keep going with the explanation but I'm very close to the tl;dr

santiago

Let me guess!
you are trying to compare Berlusconi's private life with Cowen profesional life?

bonerm

They are both equally repellent.

mike65 wrote: »

At least Fianna Fail don't have a media empire at their beck and call....

Yeah we're lucky that our media can be trusted to represent all sides of the news and not just act as a propaganda wing for FF.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0323/cowennude.html

Editor's Note: On the 23 March 2009 Nine News, we carried a report on the illicit hanging of caricatures of the Taoiseach in two Dublin galleries. RTE news would like to apologise for any personal offence caused to Mr Cowen or his family or for any disrespect shown to the office of Taoiseach by our broadcast.

entropi

Irish politics directly affects me, Italian politics most likely will not...I'm gonna go with Irish politics.