Silvio Berlusconi and the umpteenth comeback

Thursday, December 6, 2012. One day after suggesting that he is ready to "re-enter the field" (meaning that he will run for Italy's prime minister), Silvio Berlusconi decides to withdraw People of Liberty party's support for Mario Monti.

Silvio Berlusconi and Angelino Alfano at the press conference

Silvio Berlusconi has a new strategy, to kill at least two birds with just one stone: tackling the power struggle within his party (PdL, People of Liberty) and getting back to politics, since he's sure that without him (and the spirit of '94) the PdL is doomed to fail.

The campaign started with a fierce attack against Mario Monti's cabinet (yesterday) stating that the situation got much worse in the last year, the Italian “economy is in dire straits: the unemployed grew by one million, debt is rising, purchasing power is plummeting, the tax burden has reached unbearable levels”.

To make a long story short, Italy is “on the brink of the abyss”, to better say is already in the abyss.

Solution? Well, the solution is simple: get Berlusconi back in the saddle, and everything is going to be just fine. At least this is the message the media tycoon is getting across, explaining that loads of people ask him to “re-enter the field”.

Silvio, Italy trust in you

Is it already decided? “We will take the decision altogether, in the next days” said yesterday Silvio Berlusconi, hinting that the decision of “re-entering the field” was already taken, “they” just needed to make it public in a way that it sounds collective.

In the meanwhile today the PdL members sitting in the Senate of Italy did not grant the confidence vote on a decree on stimulating economic growth.

Some polls suggests that the PdL will gain about 15 percent of the support of the voters, ranking third if elections would be held now, but – as usual – Berlusconi is about to pull... himself out of the hat, and he is sure the future will vindicate his decision.

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Silvio Berlusconi and the Ukrainian candidate

Saturday, November 28, 2012. Silvio Berlusconi gets unexpected support from the Mayor of Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Hennadiy Keres, who put up a giant banner saying “Hands off Berlusconi”.

Berlusconi's banner in Kharkiv, Ukraine

They started it, not us, would reply Mr Hennadiy Keres, Mayor of the second largest city in Ukraine, Kharkiv, if asked why he decided to put up a giant banner with a bilingual writing, citing “Hands off Berlusconi. Because of him Italy has lost millions. Municipality of Rome, support not only Ukraine's Prime Minister but also yours!”

And – in a way – he is right, since Rome's Mayor, Gianni Alemanno (of Berlusconi's PdL), stuck up a (quite smaller) picture of former Ukrainian PM Yulia Tymoshenko outside his office on Rome's Capitol Hill a couple of days before, with the following writing on it: “Free Yulia Tymoshenko”

One of the small difference between the two causes, is that the 76-year-old former Italian Prime Minister is far from being jailed, actually he is threatening to start a new party, in sight of parliamentary elections in 2013. Berlusconi was given a four-year sentence for tax fraud, but he is still free pending appeals and he's not likely to ever get into jail, due to his age.

Yulia Tymoshenko's banner in Rome, Italy

The first woman to become Ukraine's prime minister, 52-year-old Tymoshenko (her birthday was on the 27^th of November) was actually prisoned back in December 2011 in the city of Kharkiv (she is now receiving treatment at a hospital) where she is expected to serve a seven-year term for abuse of office in relation to a natural-gas deal with Russia.

Berlusconi and his supporters say the charges are politically motivated, just like Tymoshenko and her supporters say. Both – according to the Mayor of Kharkiv – cost money to their countries.

The European Union and the United States have decried Tymoshenko imprisonment as selective justice, they do not seem much impressed by Berlusconi's claims that Italy is a magistocracy, rather than a democracy (and therefore he will go on fighting, instead of retiring).

Silvio like Yulia?

Silvio Berlusconi and the spirit of '94

Saturday, November 24, 2012. Silvio Berlusconi might change his mint and run for prime minister, relaunching Forza Italia party and spirit, and (politically) killing his (former) heir apparent Angelino Alfano. Or he might not.

The Spirit of '94

I won't run, I might run, I won't run, I might run... after a few turnabout, a couple of somersault, and at least one volte-face, Silvio Berlusconi declared that – after all - he may seek to run in 2013 election further deteriorating the chaotic situation in centre-right PdL party (People of Freedom).

"I am thinking about it.", replied the former Italian Prime Minister, when asked by reporters whether he was contemplating his return “to the playing field" next spring when parliamentary elections will take place (presumably on the 10^th of March 2013), in order to pick a new Italian Prime Minister and government to take over from technocrat Mario Monti. Silvio Berlusconi has been talking to revive Forza Italia's spirit for a while, as the only way to redeem his party.