Well, Italian politics has proven to be as fractious as ever, with Romano Prodi’s broad-based coalition declaring victory, on a margin of only 25,000 votes. Berlusconi is contesting the election.
Of course, the American left will attempt to make hay over this, calling Prodi’s promised immediate withdrawl of Italy’s 2600 troops from Iraq as a condemnation of the Bush doctrine. I see it as more an admission of Italy’s inability to fund overseas military adventures. For all his right-wing bluster, Berlusconi has failed to liberalize Italy’s stagnant statist economy.
Well, given that Berlusconi isn’t a dictator, he can’t just liberalize the economy by fiat.
It appears that most Italians don’t want to actually liberalize their statist economy, which makes it rather difficult for him to do so.
The few Italians I know personally – including the one who’s actually staying over with us in London for a few days – think Berlusconi is one or more of the following:
- fascist
- racist
- crook
- economically incompetent
- “what you call car salesman”
- dressed like a comedian
What not one of them said was that they voted against him because of the war. Not that they were in favour (you’d struggle to find many people in Europe who were, even in the countries which committed troops), just that his domestic failings are seen as more important.
And while he can’t liberalise by fiat, frankly he never really tried. Berlusconi’s main interest is Berlusconi, period.
Anyone on the American left who tries to draw parallels here is out of their mind (or, more likely, just badly informed).
TO: Kevin L. Conners
RE: Well…
…according to one understanding of Nostradamus, Italy IS supposed to be overrun by Islam.
This looks like a step in that direction.
Regards,
Chuck(le)