da Pajamas Media
Silvio Berlusconi has won a third term as Italy's prime minister with an unexpectedly landslide victory. People of Freedom and its two allies have gained a 9-point lead over rival Walter Veltroni. They won 47 percent of the vote, which ensures them an overall seat majority both in the Chamber of Deputies and in the Senate. It was a great demonstration of strength and political vitality by the 71-year-old Berlusconi.
(...)
Democrats have to provide their party with new political language and culture, which they need to come back into power. They also have to commit themselves to an open-minded and thoughtful opposition, by avoiding the temptation to conform with conservative and regressive demands by the trade unions and the communist left. Rather, they have to urge Prime Minister Berlusconi to accomplish bolder reforms and more changes. If hate against the political enemy prevails, there will be a new strategic failure of the reformist left. If Mr. Veltroni will be reliable as a "rupture" leader, he will build a new left on today's ruins.
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UPDATE: ... E ora le riforme (su Ideazione.com)
Showing posts with label pajamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pajamas. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Italian Elections Unlikely to Provide Needed Reform
da Pajamas Media
Italians are looking forward to the end of this campaign. They are impatient to decide who will govern their country for the next five years — even though they can't stand their privileged, unaccountable, inconclusive, and onerous politicians. These politicians are also referred to as "The Caste", and they represent the same old faces of the past.
The electorate is exhausted and bored. It has been a flabby campaign without any debate over proposals. No TV spots and no face-to-face debates, which were banned by the absurd "Par Condicio" Act. Italians are numbed by a dangerous cocktail of resignation and generic fear of the future. They can't derive hope from an effectual government. This means that many Italians will probably desert the polls on April 13-14 — perhaps many more than did so in the 2006 election.
The challenge for Chigi Palace, the House of Italian government, is between Silvio Berlusconi and Walter Veltroni. If Mr. Berlusconi wins, he will be Prime Minister for the third time.
Prosegue su Pajamas Media
Italians are looking forward to the end of this campaign. They are impatient to decide who will govern their country for the next five years — even though they can't stand their privileged, unaccountable, inconclusive, and onerous politicians. These politicians are also referred to as "The Caste", and they represent the same old faces of the past.
The electorate is exhausted and bored. It has been a flabby campaign without any debate over proposals. No TV spots and no face-to-face debates, which were banned by the absurd "Par Condicio" Act. Italians are numbed by a dangerous cocktail of resignation and generic fear of the future. They can't derive hope from an effectual government. This means that many Italians will probably desert the polls on April 13-14 — perhaps many more than did so in the 2006 election.
The challenge for Chigi Palace, the House of Italian government, is between Silvio Berlusconi and Walter Veltroni. If Mr. Berlusconi wins, he will be Prime Minister for the third time.
Prosegue su Pajamas Media
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