Berlusconi: ‘Scandalous? Lucky him!’

In the halls of the Fascist-era Italian Foreign Ministry near the Tiber, there is growing alarm over the impact on Italy’s image abroad of Silvio Berlusconi’s colourful private life. However, when Franco Frattini, the Foreign Minister and a close ally of the Prime Minister, spoke to The Times yesterday he was bullish about “these scandalous attacks”. Just wait for the results of the European elections, he said. “All the opinion polls point to a resounding victory for Berlusconi.” The world would do better, he added, to focus on Italy’s commitments in Afghanistan, its contributions to Middle East peace and its plans for global financial reform at the G8. As for his countrymen, they supported the Prime Minister because of his “decisive action” in resolving the Naples rubbish crisis, his “energetic reaction” to the earthquake in Abruzzo and his delivery of a high-speed train link between Rome and Milan. A telling remark was made by an Italian friend yesterday on perusing the El País photos: “Lucky him.” There is no doubt that many Italians like Mr Berlusconi’s style — and most view the world through the prism of his Mediaset TV channels or of RAI, the public broadcaster — which he controls. But even if he triumphs in Europe and his domestic ratings remain high, there is a feeling in Rome that the recent publicity has hurt him. “He will survive and will continue to dominate Italy — but his wings have been clipped,” one insider said. CONTINUE ...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6440668.ece