Silvio Berlusconi and the (costly) separation from Veronica

Thursday, December 25, 2012. It's Christmas, and the marriage between Silvio Berlusconi and Miriam Raffaella Bartolini (aka Veronica Lario) comes to an end.

Silvio and Veronica (Photo EPA)

Veronica Lario and Silvio Berlusconi had been married for almost 22 year before when the legal separation document was filed, on 25 December 2012, in which the media tycoon agreed to pay 36 million euro a year in alimony to the former actress, in order to keep the ownership all his properties, especially the one they have been fighting over: Villa Belvedere in Macherio, near Milan.

The love story between Silvio and Veronica, however, started quite earlier: they met in 1980, when the Italian entrepreneur wife was still Carla Elvira Lucia Dall'Oglio.

A young Veronica Lario

When they decided to marry (15 December 1990, Berlusconi had already been divorced from Carla Elvira for five years), Silvio was 56 and Veronica 32, they had three children (Barbara, Eleonora and Luigi), who were raised in Villa Macherio. Now the estate – which is worth 78 million euro (£64m) and which maintenance costs 1.8 million euro (£1.5) a year – will remain in the hands of the former prime minister of Italy, since all the children already came of age.

According to Italy's civil code the “standard of living” of the couple must be maintained, and that was the principle that lead to the final settlement, even though Ms Lario reportedly asked an alimony of more than 40 million euro (and her ex-husband offered 2.5 million a year), according to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

In the past years, Veronica Lario has been living in Macherio, whereas his (now former) husband stayed in Villa Arcore, which he had to share with his son Pier Silvio and his girlfriend Silvia Toffanin.

Mara Carfagna: Silvio would have married her,

if he hadn't already a wife...

The (emotionally and possibly economically) painful decision to separate was triggered by the fact that Silvio Berlusconi “hurt [Veronica's] dignity as a woman”, by publicly flirting with former model Mara Carfagna (Berlusconi said that he would marry her, if he hadn't already a wife) and mix with under-age girls (like Noemi Letizia).

The former wife of Berlusconi also said he should seek help for his sex-addiction. Many of the disclosers were published in the book “Tendenza Veronica” (“Veronica Trend”), wrote by Ms Lario confidante's (and Italian Sky all-news channel TG 24 anchor woman) Maria Latella.

Later on Silvio Berlusconi was indicted for having paid to have sex with an under-age girl – later to be revealed to be Moroccan Karima El-Mahroug, commonly known as Ruby Rubacuori (Italian for Heart-stealer) – in 2010.

The trial related to the sex scandal will resume in February 2013 (the same month in which general elections will be held in Italy), in the meanwhile Berlusconi declared he was going straight, and limit his affection to his 28-year old girlfriend, Francesca Pascale.

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Berlusconi and the cockscomb of the Pharaoh

Thursday, December 27, 2012. AC Milan footballer Stephan El Shaarawy refuses to cut his hair, notwithstanding the fact that Silvio Berlusconi – the team's owner – allegedly asked him to do so.

Stephan "The Pharaoh" El Shaarawy's hairstyle

Nicknamed Il Faraone (The Pharaoh), Stephan El Shaarawy is an Italian footballer of Egyptian descent playing for AC Milan, known for the ability of scoring goals, as well as for his weird hairstyle, which – apparently – is annoying the club's owner and current president, Silvio Berlusconi.

All this according to the site Al Arabiya News, which – in turn – quoted a local Italian newspaper as source of the news.

El Sharaawy – who is currently Italy top of the league Serie A's best scorer, with 14 goals – is AC Milan's “new Ibra”, according to Barbara Berlusconi, daughter of the team owner, member of the club's Board of directors and girlfriend of the fallen-from-grace striker Pato, meaning that the 22-year-old striker is as talented as the Swedish Zlatan Ibrahimović is, who was sold by AC Milan to the French PSG last year.

Other stories emerged, as the former prime minister already ask defender Philippe Mexès and midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng to change their "disturbing" hairstyles. To some extent, they agreed to lower their cockscomb, whilst the Italo-Egyptian forward apparently dug in his heels.

Silvio "The Knight" Berlusconi hairstyle

The Italian newspaper (La Provincia di Varese) cited an hairdresser (Sebastian Muscillo) who used to work for AC Milan as well as Turin's Juventus FC, saying that the former Italian prime minister tried to force El Shaarawy to cut his hair.

The request of Silvio Berlusconi was first addressed to the young talent (whose father is Egyptian, while his mother is Italian) when he first signed the contract with AC Milan, as the president told him not to get rid of the “exotic” hairdo as soon as possible.

Silvio Berlusconi seems to be quite allergic to hairdos and combing stuff, for some reasons...

Silvio Berlusconi and the two fiancées

Saturday, December 22, 2012. Katarina Knezevic gives an interview to an Italian daily newspaper saying that she will become the wife of Silvio Berlusconi, not Francesca Pascale.

Katarina Knezevic, Montenegrin model and alleged "fidanzata" of Silvio

The story with Francesca Pascale is “a heap of crap” according to 22-year-old Katarina Knezevic, the Montenegrin model who swears she is the real Silvio Berlusconi's fiancée, or “fidanzata” as they say in Italian.

Francesca is just an electoral stunt, “the result of an agreement” – according to the Balkan woman, who was a contestant on Miss Montenegro pageant – she will never be the wife of Silvio Berlusconi. “I am still in love with him” she added, in her interview to the leftist daily newspaper “Il Fatto Quotidiano” (“The Daily Fact”), “for a man like him I could kill and I'd be ready to die”.

Silvio with official fiancée, Francesca

Katarina is “a very dangerous crazy person”, "gypsy" a "runaway from home", used to say to each other over the phone the bunga-bunga princesses, Nicole Minetti, Barbara Faggioli, Imane Fadil (actually on 9 August 2012 was Moroccan Imane who spontaneously told judge Ilda Boccassini that the Montenegrin beauty was Berlusconi's real girlfriend).

Emilio Fede also told about a dramatic scene at the home of Italy's former prime minister, when Katarina “made a nasty scene of jealousy” about the presence of other women, and jumped from the stairs of the villa, got hurt, and “Silvio Berlusconi had to retire, with Katarina, in order to console her.

Actually there are no public photos of Berlusconi with Katarina Knezevic.

Silvio's infatuation of for the young woman was testified also by Nicole Minetti and Clotilde Strada on a famous phone call, intercepted during the sex-scandal Rubygate investigations (the video is on our YouTube Channel).

But the story of a long-lasting engagement was revealed by Silvio Berlusconi only recently (during Canale 5's Domenica Live TV show, led by Barbara D'Urso), after rumours assigned the role to Roberta Bonasia, Nicole Minetti, Evelina Manna and other girls and women.

Only time will tell the truth.

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Video from our YouTube Channel: Berluschannel 

Silvio Berlusconi and the socks of the judges

Thursday, December 20, 2012. Silvio Berlusconi-s owned gossip magazine attempts to delegitimize a magistrate looking into sex-scandal trial by denigrate her socks. It's not the first time they resort to this extreme measure, Italian judges should pay more attention to the colour of their socks, experts say.

Ilda Boccassini doing work

The prosecutor in charge of the Rubygate – a case in which Silvio Berlusconi is indicted for having given money to under-age Karima el Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) – has appeared on a photo shoot on Berlusconi's Mondadori-owned “Chi” weekly magazine, a gossip newspaper.

Judge Ilda Boccassini is an old enemy of Berlusconi's, since she took over the place of Antonio Di Pietro, back in 1994, in the “Mani pulite” (“Clean hands”) investigation.

Silvio and Ilda met up in several occasions, since.

Ilda Boccassini doing shopping

The gossip weekly portrays the judge as she goes shopping in the centre of Milan, adding captions in order to deride the magistrate. A list of her cloths is published, where “multi-coloured striped wool socks”, costing 21 euro, are exhibited and undrlined in order – somehow – to belittle the judge. Another photo shows Ilda Boccassini dropping the butt of a cigarette to the ground. Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera and Rai3 news service accused the media outlet of "hounding" the judge.

A similar technique was used by Canale5 broadcaster staff in 2009, when they hounded judge Raimondo Mesiano, who ordered to Silvio Berlusconi's Fininvest to pay 750 million euro (£612m) to Carlo De Benedetti's – arch-enemy of The Knight – CIR, as a compensation in the frame of the Lodo Mondadori, a battle between the two Italian entrepreneurs following the acquisition of publisher Arnoldo Mondadori Editore by Fininvest. Mr Mesiano was followed by the broadcaster's men, his turquoise-coloured socks were exposed as a major offence.

Ruby rebuilding her virginity with Chi's Alfonso Signorini

By the way, the weekly magazine we started this post with is owned by Arnoldo Mondadori Editore SpA (company chaired by Silvio's daughter, Maria Elvira Berlusconi, commonly known as Marina Berlusconi). The paper is also known for having published topless photos of Kate Middleton earlier this year, and a picture of prnicess Diana, taken as she was dying, after a car accident on 31 August 1997. The Director of “Chi”, Alfonso Signorini, was in charge also when Mediaset (on Canale 5's Kalispéra TV show) tried to prove that Ruby the Heart Stealer was – in reality – a kind of vocational nun, not a prostitute.

The Rubygate trial is going to continue on 4 February, after the last session – in which key witness and name giver for the investigation Karima el Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) was missing – was adjourned.

Obviously Silvio thinks that the best defence is a good offence.

Socks on the right...

Silvio Berlusconi and his friend Bruno Vespa

Tuesday, December 18, 2012. Invited to Italian state TV talk show “Porta a Porta” (“Door to Door”) by anchorman and friend Bruno Vespa, Silvio Berlusconi holds electoral an electoral speech and admits that if the election will be held in February, his chances to win are pretty dim.

"After Monti it's my turn"

“You need... me” begins Silvio Berlusconi on the television screen, participating to Porta a Porta (Door to Door) one of the most viewed TV shows on state owned Rai1, after host Bruno Vespa showed a footage of the previous night television programme (still  on Rai1), where Oscar-winner Italian actor Roberto Benigni joked about the fact that it's the sixth time that the tycoon runs for office (“the seventh time he shall rest” mocked Benigni).

The President and the Comedian

RobertoBenigni (mis)used a cultural television programme to attack the former Italian prime minister, who – in return – reckons legitimate to (mis)use a talk show to talk – alone, with no cross-examination, the host of the programme is a friend - about what he is going to do (or – more exactly – about what Italians want him to do).

"After Monti, it's my turn again" says Berlusconi's manifesto, projected by Bruno Vespa's staff. This is how things go in Italy, nowadays.

“You need me and [...] I don't refrain [...] to render the assistance to those in need” the former Italian prime minister continued, as the conversation between the politician and business man and the journalist went on following the usual politician-stooge pattern.

"Don't vote for small parties" warns the People of Liberty's president, founder and main financial backer, look for someone who "has got plenty of common sense", and than enunciates "I have been a winning entrepreneur, in every sector, I have built model cities, worked in the building, publishing and broadcasting industry".

A well organised electoral speech.

Video from our YouTube Channel: Berluschannel

In reality the only electoral promise coming from Berlusconi is the abolition of a municipal tax that his government introduced back in 2011 (Decree nr. 23, 14 March 2011), the infamous IMU (“Imposta municipale propria”, a kind of Council Tax) in order to cover the expenses left without funds by the repeal of the previous tax on real proprieties “Imposta comunale sugli immobili” (ICI, “Municipal Propriety Tax”).

Berlusconi said that he can aim to get the 40 per cent of the votes, if he gets enough time on TV to explain his reasons (pardon: his reason) his to the Italians.

Gotcha!

What is the alternative to Berlusconi? According to Berlusconi it's a social civil war, just like it (almost) happened in Greece.

But in the meantime another clock is ticking: a court set February 4, 2013 as the day for final hearing and judgement of the Rubygate proceedings. In the trial Silvio Berlusconi is indicted of having paid for sex an under-age prostitute known as “Ruby the Heart-Stealer” (the real name is Karima El Mahroug) at his “bunga bunga” parties, to which Moroccan belly-dancer Karima and droves of other women were invited. If he gets a conviction, it might influence his run for office.

Run Silvio, run! I mean: slow down, Silvio, slow down... 

Berlusconi and the phone call with his sweetheart Nicole Minetti

Sunday, August 1, 2010 – 12:15pm. Silvio Berlusconi calls his (alleged) girlfriend Nicole Minetti and they chat about the political situation, the scandal about Gianfranco Fini's flat in Montecarlo, the sex-trial Rubygate, and much much more.

Silvio Berlusconi: Hello darling
Nicole Minetti: Hey, hello!
Silvio Berlusconi: how is my talented Councillor?
Nicole Minetti: Well, well. And how are you?
Silvio Berlusconi: Everybody speaks so highly of you, I am so glad
Nicole Minetti: Really?
Silvio Berlusconi: Really, sweetheart
Nicole Minetti: Yes
Silvio Berlusconi: Yes, yes.
Nicole Minetti: Who?
Silvio Berlusconi: Everybody, everybody. Those from the [Northern] League, our men...
Nicole Minetti: Come on!
Silvio Berlusconi: Recently Giorgio Puricelli [Lombardy Region PdL's Councillor]
Nicole Minetti: Okay, very good. I am happy, you know?
Silvio Berlusconi: eh, eh
Nicole Minetti: Well, well.
Silvio Berlusconi: And are you happy?
Nicole Minetti: A lot! Of course I'm happy, I am very happy!
Silvio Berlusconi: mmmmh
Nicole Minetti: Absolutely!
Silvio Berlusconi: So, when we hold elections, you can get into the [Italian] Parliament
Nicole Minetti: Obviously! But I think I will take sides with Freedom and Future [movement led by Silvio Berlusconi's rival and PdL deserter Gianfranco Fini] of (laugh)


Silvio Berlusconi: Aaaa. We aaare...
Nicole Minetti: Come on, it's a joke... have a laugh!
Silvio Berlusconi: We are, we are, we are in a huge mess, yes, I am laughing, I am, but we still are in a huge mess, huh?
Nicole Minetti: Oh my God, oh my God, that's terrible
Silvio Berlusconi: But have you read the newspapers?
Nicole Minetti: When, today?
Silvio Berlusconi: Yes.
Nicole Minetti: No, today I haven't yet.
Silvio Berlusconi: So, this one [alluding to Gianfranco Fini, President of the Italian Chamber of Deputies] he took this flat, that was bequeathed by a woman to his party
Nicole Minetti: Yes
Silvio Berlusconi: And he sold it... He sold it... the value was 2 million euro and he sold it for 67,000 euro to... practically himself.
Nicole Minetti: I don't believe that.
Silvio Berlusconi: Yes. And he put into into it his wife's brother, who lives there.
Nicole Minetti: (laugh)
Silvio Berlusconi: The whole thing happened in Montecarlo [Principality of Monaco], through an offshore company
Nicole Minetti: Noooo.
Silvio Berlusconi: And then his mouth is full of worlds like morality and lawfulness.
Nicole Minetti: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, no, no.
Silvio Berlusconi: And do you know where he lives?
Nicole Minetti: No
Silvio Berlusconi: He lives in his partner's home...
Nicole Minetti: Yes.
Silvio Berlusconi: The house that his partner nicked from Gaucci [Luciano Gaucci, Italian entrepreneur], who registered it in her name, in order to avoid seizure from creditors...
Nicole Minetti: Can you realise that?
Silvio Berlusconi: … and when he asked it back, she did not give it back.
Nicole Minetti: Those are the worst, it's the worst, he is the worst. I mean, it's crazy... It's crazy, he is disgusting.

Silvio Berlusconi: And now how can we keep him there President of the Chamber. And the newspapers don't talk about this. Only the newspaper Libero talks about it.
Nicole Minetti: Of course.
Silvio Berlusconi: And another disgusting thing, the famous free Italian press, it's disgusting.
Nicole Minetti: Yes, yes, it's true, it's true, it's true. I can remember a very good article written by Feltri [Vittorio Feltri], if I'm not wrong, some time ago, about a house of De Mita, straight away, in Rome, you know... Silvio Berlusconi: Yes, yes. Nicole Minetti: … about the fact he got it from INPS [Italian National Institute of Social Security]. The fact is that, in the end, the newspapers don't talk about it.
Silvio Berlusconi: Yes, but here we are not talking about a discount over the rent, or a whatsit, here the fact is that somebody steals from his own party, do you understand?
NB: Yes, yes, it's disgusting. He isn't even a member, did you know it?
Silvio Berlusconi: Yes, he isn't a member.
Nicole Minetti: He's not a member.
Silvio Berlusconi: No... So now, we have to bump him off, because he so mad at us... he's full of hate for me... because of the newspapers, for everything, that is irrepressible.
Nicole Minetti: Yes, he is envious, because in the end...
Silvio Berlusconi: Alright.
Nicole Minetti: (mimbles something, but Silvio Berlusconi doesn't allow her to talk)
Silvio Berlusconi: Listen, I am at war, what do you do on holiday? Were are you going with Ba... you and Barbie [Barbara Faggioli]. Are you together?
Nicole Minetti: I still don't know, we haven't talked yet.
Silvio Berlusconi: And what about Barbie?
Nicole Minetti: Well, sh is well, absolutely very well, she is good.
Silvio Berlusconi: mmh
Nicole Minetti: She is studying.
Silvio Berlusconi: Good, very well, very w... Giorgio told me you were in Villa d'Este.
Nicole Minetti: Yeees, we went to Villa d'Este and Giorgio Pozzi was there too and everything yes, we were well, no worries. They are crazy, anyway, aren't they?
Silvio Berlusconi: What do you mean?
Nicole Minetti: Come on, they are crazy. Giorgio Pozzi is crazy az a loon.
Silvio Berlusconi: Really?
Nicole Minetti: Oh my God, yes!
Silvio Berlusconi: Why?
Nicole Minetti: Because he is. He's crazy, but makes you laugh, he's nice, but he is crazy. Silvio Berlusconi: (incomprehensible)
Nicole Minetti: He had a Rumanian girl there, he had.
Silvio Berlusconi: A Rumanian girl?
Nicole Minetti: I swear! (laugh)
Silvio Berlusconi: (laugh) … but presentable or not?
Nicole Minetti: A piece of ass.
Silvio Berlusconi: What.
Nicole Minetti: A piece of ass.
Silvio Berlusconi: Aaah, a piece of... in that case.
Nicole Minetti: Yes, yes. And also a good friend of Flo [Florina Marincea], get that.
Silvio Berlusconi: Just think!
Nicole Minetti: Yes. (laugh)
Silvio Berlusconi: That Flo, did you see, she made those 10 pages with Roncuzzi?
Nicole Minetti: Yes, yes, yes.
Silvio Berlusconi: That's shameful.
Nicole Minetti: My goodness, it can't be, it can't be.
Silvio Berlusconi: Oh well, listen sweetheart, where are you, in Rimini or Milan?
Nicole Minetti: No, I'm in Milan, I am.
Silvio Berlusconi: mmmh, in Milan, in Milan...
Silvio Berlusconi: Unfortunately I'm leaving for Rome...
Nicole Minetti: I know, because tomorrow you'll be...
Silvio Berlusconi: yeah... with the senator... and so on... mmmh
Nicole Minetti: but when do you leave, at what time do you leave?
Silvio Berlusconi: eeh, I leave... now.
Nicole Minetti: Really?
Silvio Berlusconi: And I still have this arm aching, I cannot even hold the mouthpiece of the telephone in my hand.
Nicole Minetti: It's still there?
Silvio Berlusconi: Still there, still there. Can't understand what is it.
Nicole Minetti: Mamma mia.
Silvio Berlusconi: Prepare yourself to see me without an arm.
Nicole Minetti: Exaggerated! Do you know that the other day in the council came to me Giuliante [Gianluca Giuliante, PdL's lawyer], to talk to me about the Ruby story?
Silvio Berlusconi: And who is this Giuliante?
Nicole Minetti: Giuliante is the PdL's [People of Liberty party] lawyer, as well as... Lele's [Lele Mora]
Silvio Berlusconi: So he practically came over there, because... he called my assistant, and told her “Look, I have to talk to Nicole, I have to talk to Nicole” , came over to the Council, and practically told me the whole story, about this prosecutor, his name is Forno, who is following the case, who practically say that according to him, not now, but in September, he will call me because, anyway both Ruby and the other ass-hole Michelle [Michelle Conceicao] have put my name forward... and well, nothing, he told me about how were things going, and so on, because they opened an investigation over this Michelle, because in fact it's true that Ruby denounced her
Silvio Berlusconi: So Ruby denounced Michelle?
Nicole Minetti: Yes, for inducement of prostitution
Silvio Berlusconi: Can't be.
Nicole Minetti: Yes.
Silvio Berlusconi: You mean that someone labels herself as ...?
Nicole Minetti: Yes, yes.
Silvio Berlusconi: You mean that someone labels herself a whore?
Nicole Minetti: Yes. (laugh)
Silvio Berlusconi: By herself.
Nicole Minetti: I swear.
Silvio Berlusconi: Crazy stuff. Well, what is important that several persons can testify that she told us an age different as in reality.
Nicole Minetti: Of course. Clear. Of course, of course, of course.
Silvio Berlusconi: If that happens, nothing more will happen.
Nicole Minetti: And then...
Silvio Berlusconi: We just helped her because we felt pity for her.
Nicole Minetti: Yes, because he told me that this Forno has also some photos in his hands. Who gave them to him? Michelle.
Silvio Berlusconi: (long pause) I understand.
Nicole Minetti: (giggles)
Silvio Berlusconi:Oh well, let's hope it won't become a mess.
Nicole Minetti: No, but... let's hope.
Silvio Berlusconi: Well, a littler is enough for...
Nicole Minetti: I know.
Silvio Berlusconi: If it's about me, all the newspaper are happy
Nicole Minetti: In fact it's like that.
Silvio Berlusconi: Anyhow, we didn't do anything wrong...
Nicole Minetti: Nooo, in fact.
Silvio Berlusconi: It's a just a teasing.
Nicole Minetti: Indeed, indeed.
Silvio Berlusconi: Very well, okay. Ciao. I'll ring you one of these days, than we meet up before the end of the week, if you are around. Ciao sweetheart.
Nicole Minetti: Ciao sweetheart, a big kiss.

Silvio Berlusconi, his friend Roberto Benigni, and the terrible news

Monday, December 17, 2012. Roberto Benigni, Academy Award winner actor, comedian director and screenwriter, appears in state-owned TV Rai1 to host a programme about the Italian Constitution, grabs the occasion and mocks his favourite target, Silvio Berlusconi.

Roberto Benigni, wary about Silvio Berlusconi's comeback

Over 12.6 million viewers – a share of 43.9 per cent – watched Roberto Benigni's “La più bella del mondo” (“The most beautiful in the world”), a public television programme about the Italian Constitution, but – as usual – Italian Academy Award winning comedian had something to say about Silvio Berlusconi's comeback into Italian politics (the video very beginning of the show is on our YouTube channel).

The director of the Oscar-winning tragicomedy "Life is Beautiful" on the Holocaust is not new to such cultural happenings, he recited Dante's Divine Comedy on TV on the past and sang (and explained) Italy's anthem to viewers last year, on a programme celebrating 150 years of Italian Nation, last year.

But he can't help being a comedian, and Silvio Berlusconi has always been his favourite target.

"I wanted to talk about beautiful things, but this December there were two awful, catastrophic, news" quips Benigni. "One you know it all, December 21 there is the end of the world, but that's not the ugliest. You know, the end of the world, you can just get over it.”

Silvio Berlusconi at Canale5's Domenica Live

“Another, really terrible, news has really smashed everyone, in a period when so many Italians wish to retire and cannot do it. The only Italian who could really go and retire whenever he wanted if he just wanted it, is not doing it.” continued Roberto Benigni “Silvio is standing again, Lord pity us all”.

"He's got nothing to lose” added Benigni gesticulating wildly as he was painting a well known picture of a scandalous Silvio Berlusconi, “he's done it all now: orgies, lawyers, minors. He already had a crazy time!".

During the show Benigni also invited Mario Monti, the current Italian prime minister (though he said we will soon resign, since Berlusconi's Peopleof Liberty party withdraw its support to Monti's government) to join the TV programme and make a fake announcement that he will run in elections just to stop Berlusconi.

Berlusconi was also in TV recently, most possibly in an attempt to please housewives and romantic women watching TV shows on Sunday afternoon, Silvio Berlusconi declared he was engaged to 49 years younger Francesca Pascale on Canale5's Domeni Live show, but most probably Benigni's show was recorded previously, so he did not mentioned nor commented the good news (we are sure he would have liked to), so he focused on bad news. [Added on Dec. 19: Benigni show was live, and he did comment the good news! See Chiara's comment for further details. Sorry for that, folks.]

We knew already that almost everybody is against Silvio's comeback, and it was just obvious that Robert Benigni would be the staunchest opponent to it.

Silvio Berlusconi and the engagement

Sunday, December 16, 2012. On an interview aired by his own Canale 5 TV broadcaster Silvio Berlusconi reveals he is engaged to 27-year-old Francesca Pascale, half a century younger than him.

An all-smile Silvio Berlusconi announces his engagement, in December 2012

Sitting in a couch at Barbara D'Urso's “Domenica Live” TV Show, Silvio Berlusconi discloses being engaged to 27-year-old Neapolitan girl (just like the anchor woman. I mean she is Neapolitan too, not 27-year-old) Francesca Pascale, a former show girl of a local TV broadcaster, Telecapri.

Silvio Berlusconi alleged engagement led to a bride-hunt back in 2011, Francesca Pascale was one of the rumoured women (those who bet on the apparently strong candidacy of Roberta Bonasia, might have lost their money).

"She is 27 years old, with very solid values, beautiful on the outside and even more beautiful on the inside.”, said the former Italian prime minister, who also confessed the 49-year age difference between the two is a “little bit excessive”.

Silvio drew a beautiful picture of his sweetheart, "She is very close to me, she loves me very much and I feel the same.” he said with a voice almost broke by emotion. “My daughter Marina appreciates her and loves her very much too.".

Video from our YouTube Channel: Berluschannel 

During the interview, Silvio would grab the opportunity to describe the Ruby trial as an "incredible machination," he added: "It was a justification to put in place a giant operation for defamation against me and against the Italian government, including on an international level.”.

Barbara would just listen and nod, as Silvio Berlusconi story unfolded.

In the end, Canale 5 is family, isn't it?

Silvio Berlusconi and Francesca Pascale driving away.

Why nobody likes Silvio Berlusconi?

Thursday, December 13, 2012. French President François Hollande joins droves of politicians eager to state their disapproval over Silvio Berlusconi. Whatever he does or will do, nobody likes it.

Mr Holland, while speaking publicly in Brussels (see photo), declared he saw “very low chance“ for the “chevalier” (Berlusconi is a Labour's Knight, having been awarded the Order of Merit for Labour) of winning a term and replacing Mario Monti as head of Italian government.

"Now, look at you" seems to say François Hollande

"I don't take his words saying he abandoned his candidature seriously. What he says one day is not necessarily true the day after," Hollande added, clearly stating his stance towards the Italian media magnate “re-entering the field”. In this stance Hollande does not show any improvement in the relationship with Berlusconi, compared to Nicolas Sarkozy's days (watch the video on our YouTube's Berluschannel).

Silvio Berlusconi and the Sicilian clans

Monday, December 10, 2012. As the secretary of the People of Liberty party (PdL) Angelino Alfano states that Silvio Berlusconi's good friend Marcello Dell'Utri is a “miserable man”, the centre-right party's crisis becomes quite evident.

RAI TV programme Porta a Porta (Door to Door) or Italian journalist Bruno Vespa's  lounge – as the late night talk show is frequently called – is a hot spot for discussions, quarrels, rows, and – sometimes – fights, especially when general elections are in sight.

... if Alfano strikes...

And this is the case, because general election will take place in Italy as soon as February 2012. But normally all the squabbling and skirmishing happens between members of different parties and movements. This time the discussion is within Berlusconi's PdL (People of Liberty), to be more precise, within the Sicilian tribes of the party.

Silvio Berlusconi and the broader moderate alliance

Wednesday, December 12, 2012. Silvio Berlusconi makes a U-turn and declares willingness to back Mario Monti in case of the creation of a broader moderate alliance to beat Italian left-wingers.

Mario Monti, the guy Berlusconi a few days ago dubbed as “beholden to Germany”, acting as a quasi-accomplice of Angela Merkel to try to "topple a majority government elected by the Italians” by using a scam (the spread-scam), leading a government that brought Italy to “the brink of the abyss” is now the favourite candidate of the Italian media tycoon? Can you believe that? Berlusconi is forcing Mario Monti to resign in order to vote for Monti as a Prime Minister?

Yet another brainwave? Or just going nuts?

Italian former Prime Minister took the occasion of a public event – the televised presentation of start TV anchorman Bruno Vespa's latest book – to inform the public of the last of his U-turn. Mr Berlusconi said the he "proposed to Monti to be the candidate as leader for the moderate centre coalition and he said he didn't want to. If his position changes, I would have no problem with stepping back ... I have no personal ambitions".

Silvio Berlusconi and the missing key witness

Monday, December 10, 2012. Key defence witness Karima el Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) does not show up in court for Silvio Berlusconi's sex-related Rubygate trial. It turns out she's in Mexico.

Are you trying to delay the proceedings? Oh, not at all!

Most probably Karima el Mahroug (aka Ruby the Heart Stealer) just forgot the court date (Silvio Berlusconi's trial, he is accused of having paid for her sexual services, as under-age prostitute) when she decided to travel to Mexico, with her boyfriend and one-year-old daughter Sofia Aida.

That's why she was not there last Monday, without notifying her attorney or sending any documentation to justify the absence from the sex-scandal trial. Quite remarkably, Berlusconi's lawyers did not bother to talk to her, just to make sure they'd be on the same page in the court, just to realise she was somewhere else.

Silvio Berlusconi and the spread-scam used to try to bring down a majority government elected by the Italians

Monday, December 10, 2012. Taking part in Canale 5's “La Telefonata” (“The Phone Call”) TV programme, Silvio Berlusconi explains to the Italians that Italy's bond yield difference with Germany's Bunds is a scam they should not worry about.

Berlusconi with alleged girlfriend Francesca Pascale

Canale 5 ("Channel 5") is a television network controlled by Berlusconi's Mediaset broadcasting company, Maurizio Belpietro is a staunch defender of the Italian Prime Minister candidate arguably the best place to address to the Italians (at least to those who aren't at work, in that time in the morning) in order to lure them to vote, once again, for the billionaire.

Belpietro - former editor of Berlusconi's Il Giornale newspaper - is the host of the La Telefonata ("The Phone Call"), a 10-minute-long TV programme where he gets a phone call, as the show title hints. Today the Italian Silvio telephoned. La Telefonata is on air at 8:40 (GTM 7:40)

“Let's stop talking about this scam!” stated this morning Il Cavaliere's voice, “one year ago nobody heard about the word “spread” he continued “that was used to try to bring down a majority government elected by the Italians”.

“Behind the crisis there has been a German strategy” Berlusconi added, and Prime Minister Mario Monti is beholden to Germany. Monti replaced Berlusconi as Italy's Prime minister in November 2011, when the spread between Italy's bond yield and Germany's Bunds reached a euro-era record of 575.6 basis points.

He knows what is needed

The way for Italy's salvation is through the restoration Forza Italia (Go Italy!), the party that Silvio Berlusconi created in 1994 when he "entered the field" the first time, its alliance with the Lega Nord (Northern League) led by Robert Maroni (in the meanwhile Berlusconi friend Umberto Bossi was swept away by a corruption scandal) and – most probably – the separation from the National Alliance party.

After the PdL withdraw it's support for Monti's government and the former European Commissioner declared his willingness to resign as soon as, general elections are expected to be held either Feb. 17 or Feb. 24 (about a month before originally planned).

Is Italy back to square one, or it just sounds like that?

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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