Silvio Berlusconi's absent wife causes a headache for G8 summit

Silvio Berlusconi’s domestic troubles have caused a serious headache for planners of next week’s G8 summit. Normally the wife of the Prime Minister would be the host for a series of events for the spouses of the leaders — but Mr Berlusconi’s better half has filed for divorce and so Clio Napolitano, the wife of the Italian President, Giorgio Napolitano, has been asked to step into the breach. She will take Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown and the others on tours of the earthquake region around L’Aquila, host meals for them, and perform other duties expected of the hostess. "The wife was not available, the other women in his life appear to be less than suitable, the president's wife has stepped up to the plate," a summit insider said. "Protocol will be observed." The scandals involving Mr Berlusconi have caused “complications” and “lowered expectations”, according to another summit source. A petition launched by Italian female academics appealing to the First Ladies not to attend the summit because of Mr Berlusconi’s “offensive” behaviour towards women has garnered more than 12,000 signatures, including those of the astrophysicist Margherita Hack and the writer Dacia Maraini.

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http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6633106.ece