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The scandal now engulfing Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi may be generating plenty of coverage both here and in Italy. But it's a pretty sad comment on the state of Italian politics. Why is the country stuck on this?
Berlusconi has been accused of getting an acquaintance to pay models, actresses and call girls to attend parties at his home in Rome.
A number of these women are now coming forward with new claims, a few of them pretty lurid. It's hard to know where exactly the truth lies: these girls say they were at Berlusconi's house, but the evidence is sketchy.
Whatever the truth, though, many of these allegations can surely be laid at the door of the prime minister's opponents on the Left.
It's a sign of their desperation and their inability to dent Berlusconi's popularity, having lost the election last year, that they must now rely on this kind of smear.
Certainly Berlusconi should have been more careful. It's his private life, but he should realise that when you're prime minister, when you are constantly in the public eye as he is, such things could look bad.
If these allegations are true, that is an issue - even though it's his private life. I think he may have made mistakes because he has become a little bit arrogant and because he has the wrong people around him.
Yet there's nothing really new in such scandals. They are a staple of Italian politics: there are always claims of scandal from both sides against the other.
What is sad is that the Left really can't seem to find any way of attacking Berlusconi on the big political issues that Italy should be focusing on, such as the economic crisis and constitutional reform.
They should be using other weapons - but they can't. It's irresponsible of the press, too: they may have endangered the prime minister's security by giving out details of his private residence.
The Left may yet inflict damage through all this. They will not bring Berlusconi down, but they will probably succeed in defeating his ambitions of transforming the post of prime minister into a more French-style presidency.
Making himself Italy's leader with powers more like those of French president Sarkozy was Berlusconi's dream. It's hard to see how that will happen now.
All this may seem odd to English observers. British politics is very different, not least because any whiff of a sex scandal like this one would be almost sure to bring down a senior politician. The same is true of the United States.
But our culture in Italy is very different. People get less worked up about such titillating accusations. We have more of a sense of humour over these things.
In any case, my impression is that Italians are tiring of this affair. What's more, it may backfire: all this may make Berlusconi an underdog and gain him sympathy.
Sure, some people want to get rid of him, but then some people are crosser with those who are manipulating this scandal than they are with Berlusconi.
And if the party claims are true? Personally I don't set myself up as any kind of moral arbiter - I don't judge anybody else's private life. You should be able to handle your private life the way you want.
I don't agree with Berlusconi's behaviour, if the more lurid claims about these parties are true - but it's not for me to judge other people's morals.
What I do find immoral is that such claims should be splashed across the papers as they have been - all for political gain by the prime minister's opponents.
Nancy dell'Olio is an ambassador for Vital Voices, Hillary Clinton's charity promoting women's human rights.
Reader views (7)
mis del'oglio is not right , we know that our prime minister has an italian flag on his balconi in rome, at his residence that makes him a public figure and pretty disgusting also, laura e. b.
- Lauraelisa Braggion, padova-italy, 06/07/2009 09:42
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I neither agree or disagree with what Ms. Dell'Olio voiced in her comment, however please allow me to point out that if even a hint of such misbehaviour had been suggested, by any UK pape about any UK public figure,obviously substantiated with some kind of proof,said persons would have been forced to hand in their resignations, or else the public reaction would have been of utter comtempt, with consequent loss of credibiity on the person's part.....This would never happen in Italy, a country controlled by the media and the powers that be.....
- Giovanna, Ferrara Italy, 29/06/2009 14:50
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At last someone's making sense,Nancy Dell'Olio has got it right and I totally agree with Blackknight,the left are sleazy and will do anything to have power
- Linda, italy, 24/06/2009 15:26
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I wholeheartedly disagree with Blackknight and Ms. Dell'Olio.
Immigration and security in Italy are not that big problem that the right and Berlusconi are selling to the population. They are merely excuses to make people feel threatened, and turn to the party that says it has the right solutions.
Meanwhile this same party is making laws for the sole interest of Mr. Berlusconi (see Lodo Alfano/Mills trial or the daily attacks and obstacles to the magistrates that try to bring him to justice or the laws to give his televisions unfair advantage over the competition).
The fact that beside being corrupt, Berlusconi is now demonstrating to be a bit of a perv (I am sorry, but I can't really find another word for a 73 year old man who goes after 17 years olds) cannot simply be dismissed as gossip. This should raise questions such as is this really the kind of person that we want as President and ambassador of our country abroad?
Obviously the fact that almost all the news and papers choose to ignore and cover his wrongdoings because directly or indirectly controlled by him doesn't dent Mr. Berlusconi popularity in the slightest, but for a foreign observer who is given all the facts, the picture is quite grim and depressing and for Ms. Dell'Olio to defend him is just plain silly.
- Marco, Notting Hill, 24/06/2009 08:58
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I have never belived a word from the left and all they tell is lies and damend lies.
- Joe, Swanley Kent, 23/06/2009 21:32
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There is a much bigger issue here.
Berlusconi, whatever you might think of him, is not "playing ball" anylonger. Long gone are those days, when he toed the line with Blair/Bush/Baroso (unelected president of the Eiropean Commission).
His government -in stark contrast to the UK- is dealing with the ever increasing problem of uncontrolled "immigration", e.g. invasion, from North Africa and the Balkans. Berlsuconi's government actually listened to its citizens, took the necessary action and now has their support. He also ignored the stifling Stalinist straightjacket on these matters, which are dished out by unelected EU technocrats.
The Italian communists and solicialists (together with a few PC do-gooders) are besides themselves and find no other way to attack, rather than bribing a few whores to make convenient "statements", which are as trashy as the "witnesses" themselves.
Also, UK and US media would be well advised to stay out of Italian politics ---- somenting, they clearly have no clue about.
Or do they have a hidden agenda?
- Blackknight, London SW3, 23/06/2009 13:23
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Forget about Burlesconi! Nancy for Premier!!
- Lord, Luton, 23/06/2009 10:07
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