ellenr
04-16-2008, 03:37 AM
A sad sad day for Italy: Berlusconi's victory.
excerpts from article:
A new "rainbow Left" coalition of the Communists and Greens was virtually wiped out in the election, facing the danger yesterday of ending up without a single seat in either chamber.
His new Government will be considerably more right-wing than his two previous coalitions.
Mr Berlusconi has promised to cut taxes and spend more on public projects such as a giant bridge to Sicily over the Straits of Messina, a return to nuclear power and more housing, without explaining how he will also somehow manage to deliver his promised cuts in public debt.
Mr Berlusconi's success owed much to a surge of support for his allies in the secessionist Northern League, who campaigned heavily on an anti-immigration sentiment. The Northern League responded to an apparent doubling of its support to about 8 per cent by calling for an immediate devolution of power to the wealthy northern regions of the country.
"Italy in shift to two-party politics"
Peter Wilson, Europe correspondent | April 16, 2008
SILVIO Berlusconi has won a come-back election victory in Italy that appears to have brought the greatest hope yet of ending the "revolving-door" style of politics that has given Italy 62 governments in the 63 years since World War II.
The 71-year-old billionaire's centre-right People of Freedom coalition was on course for stable, or at least workable, majorities in both houses of parliament, giving Mr Berlusconi a good chance of serving out a full five-year term.
At the same time, the newly formed Democratic Party consolidated the centre-left vote, which meant more than 70 per cent of voters backed either Mr Berlusconi's grouping or the main opposition party, even though 158 parties contested the election.
That shift towards two-party politics is a stunning change for Italy. The previous centre-left government of Romano Prodi, for instance, relied on a shaky coalition of 11 parties with a Senate majority of just one vote, which collapsed after 20 months.
Walter Veltroni, the 52-year-old former mayor of Rome who formed the new Democratic Party, defended his strategy of uniting liberals, social democrats and moderate former communists into a single party that could stand apart from the far Left.
"Our decision to run alone has opened a new political season in Italy," Mr Veltroni said.
A new "rainbow Left" coalition of the Communists and Greens was virtually wiped out in the election, facing the danger yesterday of ending up without a single seat in either chamber.
Mr Berlusconi is already the only post-war leader to have served a full five-year term, having ruled for eight months from 1994, then five years from 2001.
His new Government will be considerably more right-wing than his two previous coalitions.
Hounded by persistent corruption scandals, the media tycoon failed during his last term to reform Italy's economy or rein in its chronic public debt and tax avoidance. He won little credibility among European Union officials, who have called for more fiscal discipline from Rome.
Mr Prodi made some progress in cutting spending, tax avoidance and the budget deficit, but that only undermined his popularity.
Mr Berlusconi has promised to cut taxes and spend more on public projects such as a giant bridge to Sicily over the Straits of Messina, a return to nuclear power and more housing, without explaining how he will also somehow manage to deliver his promised cuts in public debt.
"I am convinced that we can proceed quickly to modernise the country and to bring us to the level of other European countries," he said when the size of his victory became clear.
In a telephone call to state broadcaster Rai TV, Mr Berlusconi said he would reduce the cabinet to 12 ministers, including four women. Neighbouring Spain this week set a European record by naming a majority of nine women in a 17-strong cabinet.
Mr Berlusconi said he was moved by the faith that so many citizens had placed in him.
"We have difficult months ahead that will require great strength," he said, before ending his interview by wishing: "An affectionate kiss to all Italians."
Mr Berlusconi said his immediate priorities would be removing the uncollected mountains of rubbish in Naples and selling the loss-making national airline, Alitalia, which he wants to be taken over by new Italian owners.
Mr Berlusconi's success owed much to a surge of support for his allies in the secessionist Northern League, who campaigned heavily on an anti-immigration sentiment. The Northern League responded to an apparent doubling of its support to about 8 per cent by calling for an immediate devolution of power to the wealthy northern regions of the country.
Official projections gave Mr Berlusconi's coalition 45.2 per cent in the lower house, against 39.1 per cent for the Democratic Party. With 90 per cent of Senate votes counted, Mr Berlusconi's team was projected to have 47.1per cent, against 37.9per cent for the Democratic Party.
Newspaper Corriere della Sera said the projections would give Mr Berlusconi a clear margin in the 315-seat Senate - 164 seats against 139 for the Centre-Left.
Many commentators predicted that Mr Berlusconi, whose business empire includes the country's most powerful television networks, planned to follow his new five-year term by being elected to a seven-year term as head of state. That would see him in power until the age of 83, just one year older than the current President, Giorgio Napolitano.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23545175-2703,00.html
excerpts from article:
A new "rainbow Left" coalition of the Communists and Greens was virtually wiped out in the election, facing the danger yesterday of ending up without a single seat in either chamber.
His new Government will be considerably more right-wing than his two previous coalitions.
Mr Berlusconi has promised to cut taxes and spend more on public projects such as a giant bridge to Sicily over the Straits of Messina, a return to nuclear power and more housing, without explaining how he will also somehow manage to deliver his promised cuts in public debt.
Mr Berlusconi's success owed much to a surge of support for his allies in the secessionist Northern League, who campaigned heavily on an anti-immigration sentiment. The Northern League responded to an apparent doubling of its support to about 8 per cent by calling for an immediate devolution of power to the wealthy northern regions of the country.
"Italy in shift to two-party politics"
Peter Wilson, Europe correspondent | April 16, 2008
SILVIO Berlusconi has won a come-back election victory in Italy that appears to have brought the greatest hope yet of ending the "revolving-door" style of politics that has given Italy 62 governments in the 63 years since World War II.
The 71-year-old billionaire's centre-right People of Freedom coalition was on course for stable, or at least workable, majorities in both houses of parliament, giving Mr Berlusconi a good chance of serving out a full five-year term.
At the same time, the newly formed Democratic Party consolidated the centre-left vote, which meant more than 70 per cent of voters backed either Mr Berlusconi's grouping or the main opposition party, even though 158 parties contested the election.
That shift towards two-party politics is a stunning change for Italy. The previous centre-left government of Romano Prodi, for instance, relied on a shaky coalition of 11 parties with a Senate majority of just one vote, which collapsed after 20 months.
Walter Veltroni, the 52-year-old former mayor of Rome who formed the new Democratic Party, defended his strategy of uniting liberals, social democrats and moderate former communists into a single party that could stand apart from the far Left.
"Our decision to run alone has opened a new political season in Italy," Mr Veltroni said.
A new "rainbow Left" coalition of the Communists and Greens was virtually wiped out in the election, facing the danger yesterday of ending up without a single seat in either chamber.
Mr Berlusconi is already the only post-war leader to have served a full five-year term, having ruled for eight months from 1994, then five years from 2001.
His new Government will be considerably more right-wing than his two previous coalitions.
Hounded by persistent corruption scandals, the media tycoon failed during his last term to reform Italy's economy or rein in its chronic public debt and tax avoidance. He won little credibility among European Union officials, who have called for more fiscal discipline from Rome.
Mr Prodi made some progress in cutting spending, tax avoidance and the budget deficit, but that only undermined his popularity.
Mr Berlusconi has promised to cut taxes and spend more on public projects such as a giant bridge to Sicily over the Straits of Messina, a return to nuclear power and more housing, without explaining how he will also somehow manage to deliver his promised cuts in public debt.
"I am convinced that we can proceed quickly to modernise the country and to bring us to the level of other European countries," he said when the size of his victory became clear.
In a telephone call to state broadcaster Rai TV, Mr Berlusconi said he would reduce the cabinet to 12 ministers, including four women. Neighbouring Spain this week set a European record by naming a majority of nine women in a 17-strong cabinet.
Mr Berlusconi said he was moved by the faith that so many citizens had placed in him.
"We have difficult months ahead that will require great strength," he said, before ending his interview by wishing: "An affectionate kiss to all Italians."
Mr Berlusconi said his immediate priorities would be removing the uncollected mountains of rubbish in Naples and selling the loss-making national airline, Alitalia, which he wants to be taken over by new Italian owners.
Mr Berlusconi's success owed much to a surge of support for his allies in the secessionist Northern League, who campaigned heavily on an anti-immigration sentiment. The Northern League responded to an apparent doubling of its support to about 8 per cent by calling for an immediate devolution of power to the wealthy northern regions of the country.
Official projections gave Mr Berlusconi's coalition 45.2 per cent in the lower house, against 39.1 per cent for the Democratic Party. With 90 per cent of Senate votes counted, Mr Berlusconi's team was projected to have 47.1per cent, against 37.9per cent for the Democratic Party.
Newspaper Corriere della Sera said the projections would give Mr Berlusconi a clear margin in the 315-seat Senate - 164 seats against 139 for the Centre-Left.
Many commentators predicted that Mr Berlusconi, whose business empire includes the country's most powerful television networks, planned to follow his new five-year term by being elected to a seven-year term as head of state. That would see him in power until the age of 83, just one year older than the current President, Giorgio Napolitano.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23545175-2703,00.html