A ‘poetic’ look at Italian politics

Here’s a fabulous poem written by an Italian poet in the early 1900’s–an amusing and quite realistic take on family and political life.

POLITICS

There’s such a great variety of opinions:
my father is a Christian democrat
and, since he works in the Vatican,
every night he says the rosary;

as for my brothers, Luigi the elder,
is a socialist revolutionist;
I am a monarchist instead, in opposition
to Ludovico who is a republican.

Before having dinner we often quarrel
because of our indisputable principles
some think one way, some another… Like a congress !

We raise hell ! But as soon as mum
tells us spaghetti is ready
we all come to agreement on that idea.

Trilussa (1915)

Here’s the original for those who care.  The Italian is southern.

La politica

Ner modo de pensà c’è un gran divario :
mi’ padre è democratico cristiano,
e, siccome è impiegato ar Vaticano,
tutte le sere recita er rosario ;

de tre fratelli, Giggi ch’è er più anziano
è socialista rivoluzzionario ;
io invece so’ monarchico, ar contrario
de Ludovico ch’è repubbricano.

Prima de cena liticamo spesso
pe’ via de ’sti principî benedetti :
chi vô qua, chi vô là… Pare un congresso!

Famo l’ira de Dio! Ma appena mamma
ce dice so’ cotti li spaghetti
semo tutti d’accordo ner programma.

Trilussa 1915

Constitutional reforms rejected

Berlusconi takes another hit, and Prodi’s center-left coalition gets some more political capital, as Italians vote in a referendum to reject broad constitutional changes that would have pumped more power to the prime minister and increase regional independence.

Results from all polling stations except those overseas showed 61.7 percent of the voters in a two-day, nationwide referendum turned down the plan to strengthen the prime minister’s powers and give more autonomy to the regions. (Link)

Italy to pull Iraq troops by October 30

The undersecretary of defense, Lorenzo Forcieri, has announced that Italian troops will leave Iraq within 3-4 months, with the final deadline being October 30th. The foreign minister Massimo D'Alema is on his way to Washington to explain the decision to Condolezza Rice, while the Italian government hopes the news will be taken amicably by the US administration.

Link (It)

Prodi: Italian troops to leave Iraq

As expected, the new Italian government has lost little time in changing their policy in the Iraq war.  Prodi met with England's prime minister Tony Blair this morning to inform him that Italy had 'made the decision' to withdraw.  

Italy's troops are currently assisting British troops in an area of Iraq commanded by the British. 

Schwarzenegger style, Berlusconi promises he’ll be back . . . soon

We honestly thought he'd given up. Really, we sighed and admitted our favorite European politician was throwing in the towel and we'd have to find someone new to make us laugh. But it seems we have underestimated him.

In a letter to the Spanish prime minister (which according to Italian news sources is similar to letters he sent to many other world leaders), the ex-prime minister claims that when some million odd votes previously disqualified are counted, he will come out ahead of the current prime minister Prodi, and will return to his post.

In the letter, he proudly mentions that his government brought a 'period of stability unprecedented in the history of the Italian Republic.'

That's all very well, but seeing as the Italian Republic was only formed in 1946, we have to admit it's not so very impressive.

Link (Italian)

New President of the Republic elected

The politicians have cast their votes.  Giorgio Napolitano replaces Ciampi as the President of the Republic of Italy.  Out of the 1000 men present, 990 voted.  543 votes were for Napolitano.  Many voting cards were left blank, a few for various contenders, and some even for good old Silvio Berlusconi himself.  There were also several strange votes, such as one for the general director of the Juventus soccer team (we told you Italians were big soccer fans).

The new president will be sworn into office on Monday.

Prodi rejoiced, saying Napolitano will be 'every man's president.'  Berlusconi said, cryptically, "Let's hope he's impartial."

Link (Italian) 

“You’ll regret it”…Berlusconi throws in the towel

After meeting with all the governmental bigwigs this morning, Berlusconi has calmed the discomfort of his opponents by deciding to give up the fight and relinquish his position with no further fight.

"We will be deeply missed," he said, "We will be remembered as the best government of the Republic. Don't worry, Prodi will have a difficult life. He will not hold the left together. They are divided and we will give them strong opposition."

So much for any hopes that the leading parties will try to work together to bring about reforms.

All that remains to wonder is if Berlusconi–who has long been immune to prosecution because of his office–will make his next appearance in the courtroom instead of at the podium.

Link (Italian)

Prodi to pull Italian troops and support from Iraq by summer

As predicted, Prodi’s win is almost instantly cooling the strong alliance Italy has had with the US in recent years.

Claiming Prodi’s complete agreement, Oliviero Diliberto (secretary of the Pdci party) explained that all the decisions about war financing and troops needed to be made by June 30. The party leader also put in his two cents, stating that Bush has bloody hands and that Pope John Paul II had asked the government not to bloody their own hands with a war as terrible as it was useless.

In terms of US foreign relations Diliberto added that there needs to be an alliance, but also Italian autonomy, and that Italy should not take orders from anyone.

Link (Italian)

Berlusconi will likely give it up

From the AP:

ROME – Romano Prodi won his first parliamentary battle on Saturday when his candidates were elected speakers of the two houses of parliament, despite a bitterly fought race that indicated his center-left coalition’s difficulty in controlling the Senate.

Hours later, outgoing Premier Silvio Berlusconi suggested he would resign Tuesday, clearing the way for a Prodi government. (Link)

Poor old Silvio — I have to say, we'll miss the man. I hope he at least stays active in his party so that we can continue to blog his outrageous gaffes.

 

What’s next for Italian politics

A good rundown can be found here for what's facing the new government of Italy in the next few months. An interesting read, if you're into that sort of thing.

Prodi’s government already shaky at best

The current climate of the Italian government begins to sound more and more like an elementary playground.

Though Prodi is showing a brave face and vows to serve a complete, five-year term, many are already questioning how long his government will last. Political support seems flimsy at best–the leader of the Christian Democrat party has recently expressed his annoyance at the lack of recognition given to his party (which he claims brought Prodi a very important number of votes). Because of this the Christian Democrats have pulled the “I won’t play with you anymore” card and their leader, Clemente Mastella, told Prodi he will give little in support of the current government.

When Mastella was asked if Prodi’s government would last, he replied that without serious attempts to keep his political allies happy the “end would arrive before the beginning.”

Link

Berlusconi won’t cry ‘uncle’

Berlusconi is stolidly refusing to concede defeat and make the symbolic congratulatory call to Prodi.

"I will not make a single telephone call to Mr. Prodi," the ex-president declared, "Not even well wishes on a job well done, because they would be well wishes against the interests of Italy."

He also stated from Trieste that, "To the Italians here in Trieste we want to promise that we will not allow a person who still proudly calls himself communist, without embarassment for the massacres that only a few decades ago were carried out here in Trieste, to govern our country."

What exactly he plans to do to stop him from governing is unclear. . .
President Bush, on the other hand, made a telephone call to Prodi today, congratulating him on his victory and expressing a desire to meet with him at the G8 conference in July.

Bush's phone call had been anxiously awaiting since his friendly relationship with Berlusconi had caused some unrest as to what the United States' reaction would be to the outcome of the recent elections.

Link and Link (Italian) 

It’s finally official…Berlusconi is the loser

Ten days after the polls closed, the Italian Supreme court has declared that Prodi's party won the election–but only by 24,755 votes. Prodi's party rejoiced, saying, "Berlusconi's theorum has been shown ridiculous. The poison and the suspicions of gerrymandering, fed during these days with an tone unacceptable in a democratic country, have been done away with. Now it's time to turn the page."

What page it will turn is still uncertain with unsettling rumors of Italy having to abandon the Euro if economic reforms are impossible under Prodi's government.

Link (Italian)

Berlusconi consoles himself with a new villa

He may not have won the election, but he and his family won’t let that get them down. His mother-in-law (76 year-old mother of the ex-actress-turned-first-lady Veronica Lario, Berlusconi’s second wife) dropped a couple million francs on a villa in S-Chanf in Switzerland, near the Austrian border.

The villa boasts 8 bathrooms, a ten-car garage, and many bedrooms.

Not bad for the woman who worked as a store clerk before her daughter’s marriage to the infamous B.

Apparently there is a certain law which restricts the number of villas a foreigner may purchase. Berlusconi himself already has too many, poor man. Fortunately his mother-in-law could help out.

Prodi win certain

The Interior ministry has revised its estimate of contested ballots down to only 2,000, a number much too small to overturn the center-left coalition's victory over Berlusconi's Forza Italia and the CDL. Silvio still protests, but it's not likely he'll get anywhere.

Link (WashPost), Link (Italian)