Whooohoo 11-2, Berlusconi owned!

Etrurian

Finally italians are understanding the truth.

We must wait only another year, but the answers are good.
I hope we'll rise the next year as a decent nation again after 5 years of crap govern

Blub2k4

Etrurian wrote:

Finally italians are understanding the truth.

We must wait only another year, but the answers are good.
I hope we'll rise the next year as a decent nation again after 5 years of crap govern

Can you explain? Did we miss something?

uberwolf

Etrurian wrote:

Finally italians are understanding the truth.

We must wait only another year, but the answers are good.
I hope we'll rise the next year as a decent nation again after 5 years of crap govern

please justify and provide some sources or I'll have to close the thread.

pete

Italian local election results.

Italy's centre-right government has suffered heavy losses in local polls seen as a crucial test for next year's general election.
Partial results show the government has only definitely won two of 13 regions taking part in the local council vote.

It is a huge boost for the opposition centre-left leader Romano Prodi who is expected to stand against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi next year.

The poll was overshadowed by the death of Pope John Paul II.

Several events and TV debates were cancelled, but it did not affect turnout which stood at more than 71%.

Before the two-day election, eight regions were held by the governing coalition and five by the opposition.

Only the regions of Lombardy, which contains Milan - Italy's financial heart - and Veneto, which includes Venice, appear to still be in the governing coalition's hands.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4409583.stm

Manach

Italian regional election results I believe
http://www.irishexaminer.ie/breaking/story.asp?j=163228630&p=y63zz946x&n=163229543&x=

Squaletto

Blub2k4 wrote:

Can you explain? Did we miss something?

Hi Blub,
For the last five years Mr Berlusconi has been conning the Italian people. He manages to do this with the help of a biased media base which he just happens to be the boss!! Talk about telling the lie long enough and the people will believe it!! I will admit that Berlusconi has been the longest serving prime minister in Italy since World War 2 but unfortunately here in Italia many people are feeling the effects of his fiscal policies which overwhelmingly favour the rich. Since the introduction of the Euro prices have skyrocketed and the overall cost of living has shot up. Inflation is another story! Unfortunately wages have more or less remained at the same level as they were pre Euro. This has led to many strikes and discontent here.
Berlusconi was introduced into politics by Craxi who later went into self exile after a series of scandals regarding massive fraud and corruption. Craxi was a socialist and groomed Berlusconi until his arrival into power. Berlusconi is rightwing and detests the left or anything to do with socialism. Many compare him to Margaret Thatcher or your very own Mr Michael Mc Dowall. Ineqality is not only right but the natural way of the world according to Berlusconi!!
Anyway I have only touched on the subject, have a look at this link re the recent elections (it's in English). I hope it helps, ciao

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4401023.stm

Etrurian

Sorry I forgot to justify
However someone else explained the reason of the post

Squaletto, are you italian?

Squaletto

Etrurian wrote:

Sorry I forgot to justify
However someone else explained the reason of the post

Squaletto, are you italian?

Yes, but my heart is in Ireland! My wife is from the north west of Ireland. We live in Veneto one of the two strongholds of the government!! I see you are from Roma. Boards.ie is a great place to practice my poor English and stay in touch with Ireland.
It's nice to know that the foundation stones of Berlusconi's demise have been laid....finally there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Ciao.

Etrurian

Cool!

I am here for the same reason. I am not married (my girlfriend left me 2 weeks ago after 5 years :mad: ), but I love Ireland.. perhaps I had been an Irish in one of mine past lifes

It's also a good way to improve my poor english.

(come suona male parlare con un italiano in inglese :rolleyes: )

uberwolf

lads keep the love in to yourselves. Talk italian politics.

Etrurian

Right! :rolleyes:

The Corinthian

Berlusconi’s greatest political ally has ironically not been his influence of the media (although RAI’s initial coverage of the infamous ‘Kapo’ incident was disgraceful) but the incompetence and infighting of the left. The situation is not dissimilar to the UK where an ineffectual opposition has made inroads on the Labour party’s majority not because of what they have to offer, but by dint of protest vote and bad politics.

The most notable reason for Berlusconi’s fall from grace has undoubtedly been the Iraq war. Unpopular from the start, Berlusconi had most likely gambled that it would not last long and that in showing nominal support he would reap the benefits of a powerful ally (not the first Italian premier to try that one :rolleyes: ). What happened in the end was an insurgency that dragged on much longer than anyone expected and the only reward that the US was seen to give Italy was to shoot her citizens. Given such a monumental political gaffe, such a protest vote was inevitable.

Whether this translates to a return of the left to power in a year’s time is another thing, as they are still largely seen as divided and unprepared for power, while the right (since the Bossi bowed out of politics) is largely seen as speaking with largely the same voice.

Bri

There's been a good deal of scandals in the buildup to these elections IIRC. Something like forged names for Mussolini's grand-neice's nomination; emerging after her competition hired a hacker to get the details! Resulted in a mini-hunger strike (aided by 3 cappuccinos a day?!) and a tantrum or two. Plenty of agro by the sound of things

Slutmonkey57b

Scandals and corruption are hardly counted as news in Italian politics. Wishful thinking, but I doubt that's why Berlusconi is losing the vote.

sovtek

Squaletto wrote:

I will admit that Berlusconi has been the longest serving prime minister in Italy since World War 2 but unfortunately here in Italia many people are feeling the effects of his fiscal policies which overwhelmingly favour the rich. Since the introduction of the Euro prices have skyrocketed and the overall cost of living has shot up. Inflation is another story! Unfortunately wages have more or less remained at the same level as they were pre Euro. This has led to many strikes and discontent here.

Jaysus if you think the prices have skyrocketed in Italy...then you should check the prices in Ireland.
I say bring them rabble rousing Italians over here to do some stiking and protesting...the Irish are too lazy to do it for themselves.

Stabshauptmann

sovtek wrote:

Jaysus if you think the prices have skyrocketed in Italy...then you should check the prices in Ireland.
I say bring them rabble rousing Italians over here to do some stiking and protesting...the Irish are too lazy to do it for themselves.

Its actually the result of a clever government ploy, by introducing modularisation in UCD, Arts students no longer have the spare time they used to to complain about everything. Thats so devious, if you put whiskers on it, it would be a fox...