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.
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| "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).
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| 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.
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.
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| 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...
