Under Berlusconi Italy’s ‘Demise Is Unstoppable’
Berlusconi shakily survives a close no confidence vote which foretells of future difficulties gaining initiative.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi miraculously survived a confidence vote on Tuesday. But German columnists say that is bad news for Italy. With a leadership focused primarily on retaining power, they say, the big loser is the entire country’s future.
Many in Italy had thought that the country might finally see the back of the “Cavaliere.” But it was not to be. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi managed to survive two confidence votes on Tuesday to retain his hold on power.
It would appear, however, to be a tenuous grip.
His margin of victory in the lower house of parliament — 314 in support of the premier with 311 against him — suggests that Berlusconi may have significant difficulties getting legislation passed as his government moves forward. His current five-year term isn’t set to end until 2013, but many observers expect there to be early elections.
“From the political and parliamentary point of view, Berlusconi scored a clear victory,” Stefano Folli, a leading Italian political analyst, told the Associated Press on Tuesday. “But on the other hand, the government was weak before this vote and will be weak after it.”