Silvio Berlusconi

Berlusconi's macho image helps him win elections

Julien — Tue, 05 May 2009 09:42:43 +0200

One would think Silvio Berlusconi's wife's decision to leave him has put the Italian prime minister in a tight spot only weeks before the European elections. But our Italian Observer Alberto Celani says that the criticism is actually helping reinforce his "compassionate" and "macho" image.

The cover of the Italian magazine Oggi reads: "Berlusconi's harem". The photos of Berlusconi's villa were taken with a zoom lens. The Italian premier sued the magazine and said that he was with "friends".

Veronica Lario did not appreciate her husband's decision to add beautiful but politically inexperienced women to his party list for the European elections, but once again she swallowed the bitter pill.

But when Berlusconi attended an 18-year-old female friend's birthday, it was the last straw for Italy's First Lady.

In turn, the not-so-chivalrous Cavaliere demanded an apology from his wife, accusing her of "playing a joke on him in the middle of an electoral campaign" — for the third time.

Berlusconi: offensive or hilarious?

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 18:02:37 +0100

A dispute has broken out in Italy after Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said the women there are "so beautiful" that the country doesn't have enough soldiers to prevent them from being raped. Offensive or funny? Our Observers in Italy comment on the most recent blunder from the king of gaffes.

The comment in question was made on Sunday, when Berlusconi announced that 30,000 troops would be deployed on the streets after a rise in sex crimes, including several brutal rapes in Rome. The idea has received mixed reactions: the 3,000 soldiers placed on the streets since August have failed to cut crime, and critics say Berlusconi is creating a police state. But what has really riled the public is the PM's joke, which opposition lawmaker Giovanna Melandri called "profoundly offensive". It's not the first time Berlusconi has been criticised for sexism. And it's not only he who's guilty. In response to his comments, granddaughter of fascist dictator Alessandra Mussolini said: "The fact is we need so many soldiers because there are so many ugly men".

Berlusconi's soldiers walk the streets of Italy

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:30:29 +0200

The Italian government has sent soldiers out into the streets of the country's major cities in an attempt to curb crime and prevent terrorist attacks. A tactic usually employed in war time, the deployment has given rise to mixed reactions.

As part of Berlusconi's three-part plan to crack down on what he considers to be the country's major problems (rubbish disposal, crime, and the Roma community), soldiers began patrolling cities on Monday. In Rome, 400 "militari in città" (soldiers in the city) have been placed in the underground and at railway stations, as well as in a centre that houses immigrants. Meanwhile, in Milan, 150 soldiers stand in front of the cathedral, the synagogue and the consulates. It's not the first time civilians have experienced a military presence in public. In the nineties, troops were deployed in Sicily to curtail the violence carried out by local mafia gangs.

Material compiled with the help of one of our Observers in Italy, Alberto Celani.

Indifferent holidaymakers sunbathe next to dead Roma girls

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:57:05 +0200

UPDATE (23.07.08 - 5pm): We contacted the Naples journalist who took the photos. He thinks that the affair has been blown out of proportion. Read his account further down the page.

Two girls of Roma origin drowned at a beach in Naples on Saturday. Photos of their dead bodies, lying a few metres from indifferent sunbathers, revive the controversy over Italian attitudes towards the minority gypsy community.

Midday Saturday and the two cousins, 16-year-old Cristina and 14-year-old Violetta, were selling trinkets on the beach. At 2pm they decided go into the water. But neither knew how to swim and conditions were rough. The pair were swept under by a strong current, and although their cousin and younger sister escaped and ran for help, it arrived too late.

As the photos show, the bodies of the girls were left lying under the sun while holidaymakers continued to relax on the beach, apparently unmoved. Covered by towels, the feet of the girls remained exposed for hours until the police returned to pick up the bodies. The tragedy comes at a sensitive time for the Italian Roma; after Silvio Berlusconi announced plans to fingerprint the entire community.

(thanks to our Observer Alberto Celani for his great help on this post)

Italy’s Roma face fingerprinting

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:16:32 +0200

One of our Observers for Italy recently alerted us to the news that as part of a major clampdown on "gypsy" communities the government plans to compile a fingerprint database of the country's entire Roma population, including children.

Under the scheme, announced by Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, authorities will randomly collect data from each of the country's Roma residents. Those without the correct paperwork will be considered illegal and deported within three months. The Berlusconi government has also announced plans to close down all illegally run or badly facilitated Roma camps as soon as possible. The plan has been condemned by the Italian left and caused a harsh reaction from the Catholic weekly Famiglia Cristiana.

This post was compiled with help from our Observer in Milan, Alberto Celani.

Elections in Italy: "The only candidate was Veltrusconi"

Julien — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:53:38 +0200

"Veltrusconi" by associazionebarbarica.org

Italian comedian Beppe Grillo called on the Italian electorate to boycott yesterday's parliamentary elections. On his blog, considered by Technorati as one of the world's top ten most popular, he slates the corruption of Italian politicians and the dependency of the media. Here, he comments on the elections for the Observers.