I feel obliged to stay in the field to reform the justice system so that what happened to me does not happen to other citizens.Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi • Regarding his decision to stay in politics despite the fact he is facing a four-year jail sentence on tax fraud charges related to his media empire. True to form, Berlusconi made the comments on one of his company’s media outlets, Channel Five television. He has wavered repeatedly regarding what he would do politically in recent months, with some speculating he might attempt to run for higher office in the future.
Back for more? Word is that Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian Prime Minister who left office amid heavy scandal might get a second wind, in the wake of a strong, hugely-unpopular austerity program that took hold after he left office eight months ago. His allies are hoping he’ll run for office again, though he hasn’t shown his hand quite yet. (Photo by Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)
One of the young women who attended Silvio Berlusconi’s “bunga bunga” parties told a court on Friday that she dressed up as a burlesque version of U.S. President Barack Obama to entertain the former Italian prime minister.
In testimony during a trial against the 75-year-old Berlusconi on charges of paying for sex with an underage prostitute, Marysthell Polanco said she had also dressed as prosecutor Ilda Boccassini.
“I dressed up as Boccassini with a toga to make him laugh, and also as Obama,” Polanco told the court.
READ MORE: Berlusconi party girl says she dressed up as Obama
Whoa. Berlusconi was into some weird stuff.
Italy replaces Berlusconi with a technocrat: Mario Monti, an economist, just took power, and did it with a bunch of people who most assuredly aren’t politicians. Why? Well, Monti isn’t concerned about winning an election. He’s there to fix the country. And because he has such a specific role, he can do things people don’t like to solve the problem. Will this put them on the right track? Too soon to tell.
More on Silvio Berlusconi’s exit as Italian Prime Minister: The long-controversial Italian PM exits as the two chambers of Parliament passed a tough austerity plan. The Senate passed it Friday; the lower house passed it today with a resounding 380-26 vote. source
Berlu-exit. Peace out Silvio Berlusconi, we’re sure you were sick of being the Italian prime minister anyway.
The end of an era: Silvio Berlusconi was, if nothing else, a remarkably durable politician. He served as Prime Minister three different times, briefly in the 90s and twice over the last decade, despite both political and sexual scandals (you may recall his broken promise to sell his media assets if elected, his alleged tryst with underage prostitute ‘Ruby The Heart Stealer,’ and his very specific, foul assessment of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, fr example). However, following what Reuters reports as a “humiliating” legislative defeat over proposed reforms to meet the fiscal demands of the euro zone debt crisis, Berlusconi will soon be on the way out. Honestly, we never thought this guy’s political life would end with a parliamentary defeat. It somehow seems not salacious or bizarre enough, given the rest of the man’s career. (Photo by Alessio85) source
Some live updates on Berlusconi’s resignation from Marco Bardazzi, the managing editor at Italy’s La Stampa.
Berlu-goner. Surprising he lasted as long as he did, really. EDIT: Some background over here.
Silvio Berlusconi walking on eggshells after botched economic vote: The vote, which went in his favor, showed however that he no longer has an absolute majority of support in the Italian parliament. It increased calls for his resignation. source
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Okay, so who’s buying this for us? This fetching piece by environmental artist Dodi Reifenberg depicts who we’ll call “the couple of the century,” Silvio Berlusconi and Karima El Mahroug, better known as “Ruby The Heart Stealer.” Reifenberg apparently used scotch tape and plastic bags to produce this triumphant piece of artwork. Berlusconi’s trial, facing charges that he slept with the then-underage Ruby, has been adjourned until May. source
» He denies this, obviously. As does the girl he’s alleged to have slept with, Karima el Mahroug (better known publicly by her pseudonym, Ruby The Heart Stealer). The Italian Prime Minister mocked the accusations against him, claiming that the charge, which cites 33 total women he was alleged to have slept with, is silly because he’s too old. “I’m 75, and even if I’m a bit mischievous, 33 girls in two months is too much even for someone who is 30.” It says something about Berlusconi’s personality that he’s still coyly describing himself as “mischievous,” even as he faces this major legal threat. He’s basically ceding that yeah, he might sleep around every now and then, but not THAT much. Wouldn’t you generally want to avoid in any way alluding to such a thing?
I have always made it so that every woman feels, how should I say, special.Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi • Embattled by multiple charges of sex with underage prostitutes (the girls were of legal consenting age, but prostitutes must be over eighteen by Italian law), the leader defended his way with women, insisting he’s always treated them with respect and “the greatest attention,” which might somewhat be the problem. Berlusconi faces charges carrying a maximum sentence of fifteen years in prison. source (via • follow)
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Delayed reaction of the day: Silvio Berlusconi’s plea to the Libyan rebels
Now, you might not know this, but there’s a bit of a civil war going on at the moment in Libya. The rebels are fairly close to victory — so close they can smell it. So, right on cue, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a former colonial leader of Libya who was once an ally to Gaddafi and a reluctant partner in the NATO campaign in Libya, has urged the rebels “to abstain from any violence.” Now … look. We can see that there is obvious danger of things escalating, and the rebels do need to be careful to approach the situation carefully. But seriously, this is the wrong time for this comment if he’s going to make it. This is, like, a war, man. Things like this happen. But to tell the rebels to drop their weapons now, at a key time in the country’s history where they’re about to win, seems just a little bit tone-deaf to the current situation. source
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