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 and his resignation

Saturday, November 8, 2011. Many people are waiting for Silvio Berlusconi's resignation, in the streets, on the Internet, whilst still fearing a last minute trick from the Cavaliere.

Berlusconi's farewell

Silvio Berlusconi's end has been anticipated since, at least, the 14^th of December 2010. Many were convinced that on that day the Italian prime minister would lose the majority in the Parliament, after Gianfranco Fini's Future and Freedom split, and bring to an end his government.

But the Cavaliere's end did not come. He managed to find unexpected allies, and his government carried on, even though it was barely able to pass the deep reforms Italy needed – and needs – in order to get rid of his enormous debt of almost €1.9trn and start to grow again, after a decade of stagnation.

Scilipoti's protest

The game lasted almost 12 months, but now seems to be definitely over, as last Tuesday some “traitors” (as the Italian Silvio called them) left the sinking boat, paving the way for the “coup d'etat” (as Scilipoti, Berlusconi's ally, put it) of Gianfranco Fini, supported by the banks lobby.

Today the Italian Parliament has approved the financial stability law, and Silvio Berlusconi – a few days ago – stated that will be the final act of the current government, and he will resign.

So today it could be – and should be – the day, as the Italian population is preparing to celebrate. On Twitter and Facebook the tension increases.

Will he go for good, this time?

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Silvio Berlusconi and the confidence vote that doesn’t give much confidence

Friday, October 15, 2011. Silvio Berlusconi's government wins a confidence vote by a narrow majority, amongst horse-trading and fans rooting for the Pirro victor.

Forza Italia!

The Italian Prime Minister survived yesterday a confidence vote, but it really looked like as the fulcrum of the question was a bleak horse-trading instead than a in-depth discussion over the economical situation of the Italian Republic.

Amongst the latest trades, Catia Polidori – formerly one of the heads of Gianfranco Fini's Future and Freedom – became vice-minister for Economical Development.

Out of the 630 members of the Lower Chamber, 316 voted in favour.

Not a lively speech from the usually very funny Berlusconi

The opposition main strategy was quite simple: (aiming to prevent the reaching of the quorum of 315 members) the they did not show up. Simple and... ineffective. The leftist would blame the Radical Party, whose members did show up, in order to vote against the confidence (as they probably thought this is how it works in democracy).

«There are not alternatives to this government» is the main point of Silvio Berlusconi, which is quite a gloomy view of the current situation in some people's mind (and quite a boring point, Umberto Bossi might have thought, since he just yawned his head off during the declaration of the Prime Minister).

Today 200 thousand people are awaited in Rome, for a larger Italian “indignados” protest.

After the huge applause that welcomed the vote's results, the finale comments came from Maurizio Lupi (a Chamber of Deputies' vice-president) and Rosy Bindi (who is also a vice-president to the Lower Chamber). Lupi said “Votes are votes”, and Bindi replied: “Assholes are assholes”.

Opposition's strategy