Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi arrived in Trieste today, resulting in hundreds of policemen filling up Piazza Unitá d'Italia, buses being rerouted and making me late for class, as well as German and Italian flags flying everywhere. Berlusconi was here to attend the Italo-German summit, trying to forge a deal with Lufthansa to save Italy's debt-ridden, strike-prone disastrous airline AlIitalia.My Italian friends kept complaining about him and I found myself asking questions like, "If nobody likes this guy, how come he keeps getting elected?" "If he's so stupid and corrupt, how did he become Prime Minister?" My friend Maria Laura reminded me of how short my memory has become, asking me, "Noah who still lives in the White House?"
Fair point Maria.
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Dude... we learned about Silvio Berlusconi in Italian Cinema. He owns something like 3/4 of the media and 1/2 the cinema and all sorts of other ventures. He endorsed the Northern League in order to get reelected. He has apparently served two prior Prime Minister terms in Italy... Anyway, the Northern League is headed by a guy name Umberto Bossi, an open racist who has said that southern Italy is "just like Africa," of course delivered in a derogatory way. This dude wants to split Italy in two parts, north and south. So yah, the majority of Italy hates Berlusconi but with a huge endorser like the Northern League a guy like him can get elected and stay in power. keep livin the dream noer!
Very informative Samuel...thank you for your comment. It is indeed important to remember that Italians do not directly elect their Prime Minister like we elect a president in the The United States. Instead, they rely on a legislative majority in Parliament to select a leader for them. Perhaps we can discuss this further while speaking like the Festrunk Brothers while drinking Czech beer in tight slacks. A Praga!
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