Italy's Berlusconi Questioning Election (again)

[phoebe]

http://www.startribune.com/133/story/448573.html

May 22, 2006

ROME (AP) - Opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi threatened Monday to withdraw his coalition from Parliament if it turns out that his side won general elections in April and the president refuses to call a new vote, according to news reports.

snip

The April 9-10 vote was so close that the final results were not certified for days as localities counted contested votes, and the narrow margin highlighted a bitterly and virtually evenly divided nation.

Prodi eventually was sworn in last week after receiving the mandate from the country's new president, former Communist Giorgio Napolitano.

But Berlusconi has repeatedly challenged the results. He vowed Monday during the taping of the late-night TV talk show "Porta a Porta'' that if a check of the vote shows that he won rather than Prodi, and Napolitano did not call for new elections, he would order "the immediate withdrawal of all the deputies and senators of the House of Liberties coalition,'' according to the show's transcripts cited by the Apcom and ANSA agencies.

Berlusconi did not say whether he had officially appealed the election results. According to Italian law, all complaints regarding blank, null or otherwise irregular ballots must be taken up by legislative commissions formed once the new parliament convenes.

Looks like he doesn't want to give up control or have the unusual US/Italian presidential helicopter deal looked into..

Notice he's going the "irregular ballot" route - now where have we seen that before??

Another link to a an AP article on same story can be seen here
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060522/ap_on_re_eu/italy_elections_1

[iconoclastic cat]

1. Boo FREAKIN' hoo. nt

[autorank]

2. When the prison door clinks behind him, he'll quesiton that too;) n/t

[phoebe]

4. agree. Tactics being used by Bush, Blair and Berlusconi are

identical - they never admit to fault.
on edit: spelling

[AX10]

5. Exactly!

[autorank]

9. ...and even that's not their fault;) n/t

[phoebe]

3. A "searing" film indictment of Berlusconi looks to win top Cannes award

http://www.euronews.net/create_html.php?article=360152&lng=1

"The Caiman", a searing indictment of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi wrapped inside the tale of a failing filmmaker, has taken the critics at Cannes by storm.

Director Nanni Moretti says that he is happy Berlsuconi lost April's election but that while the rules governing media ownership remain, he will not vote.

"The problem in Italy is we've become used to it. Everyone - on the right as well as on the left - thinks it's normal that we have a politician who has won two elections, in 1994 and 2001, while owning television channels, newspapers etc. That's considered normal by everyone in Italy," he said.

"The Caiman" is the story of a bankrupt producer who happens upon a script he thinks will kickstart his career, but only later does he realise it is about Berlusconi.

[rpannier]

6. Whatever!!!!

He's slowly becoming irrelevant.
He ought to spend more time on the corruption in Italian futbol.

[4nic8em]

7. What a

dumbass. If he really wanted to secure his "win" he would have petitioned the Supreme Court of the
United States.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

8. Why The World Is A Rotten Place

There is no escape from these evil people, and their followers. They play dirty, they violate whatever they can get away with, and they are Evil, Evil, Evil To The Core!

We'll be lucky if this country can survive long-term, as a result of the damage done by King george during his 8 years as Dictator In Training.

[meow2u3]

10. How do you say "sore loser" in Italian?

Ima wanna know so I canna cussa his s out.