As the private life of Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's billionaire prime minister, continues to enthral Italy - L'Espresso magazine yesterday had seven pages on the "sleepless nights, erotic games, broken promises" of his alleged relationship with a call girl - the first signs may be emerging that his alleged sexual adventures are taking a toll on his popularity.
A poll by the IPR agency this week showed that people's confidence in Mr Berlusconi had fallen below 50 per cent for the first time since his re-election last year. His approval rating slipped four points in the past 60 days, during which details of his relationships with several women - including a teenaged girl - have dominated the headlines in Italy to the exclusion of almost everything else.
The slippage suggests his defence of his conduct - "I'm no saint," he said this week, adding that "Italians like me as I am" - may not be as watertight as he thinks it is.
Maria Latella, who has written a biography of Veronica Lario, Mr Berlusconi's estranged wife, told the Financial Times yesterday: "Silvio Berlusconi is a serial seducer. He has a natural talent for this. Now, thanks to his political problems, he is beginning to learn that not everyone can be seduced."
This week L'Espresso carried audio tapes on its website purporting to be of the 72-year-old Mr Berlusconi's trysts with Patrizia D'Addario, a 42-year-old escort.
"Now the political classes are asking themselves whether he can continue to govern the nation," the leftwing magazine - no friend of the rightwing prime minister - said on its cover.
Mr Berlusconi's defenders accused Ms D'Addario of accepting payment for the revelations. She countered yesterday with a threat to sue anyone who made such claims, including journalists and politicians.
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http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a48822f6-78b1-11de-bb06-00144feabdc0.html
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