The year 2010. For British politics this means a whole lot of media hype in the run up to the long-awaited General Election: a chance for the nation to decide whether or not Gordon Brown succeeded in winning the hearts and minds of his people after his all-revealing, population-appealing interview on Sunday evening with Piers Morgan (for your information, the PM himself has to share a toilet with over 200 people…).
Across the Channel and a few sunny shores further south however, the world waits in anticipation to see just what moves Silvio Berlusconi, Italian PM, pulls this year to get into the headlines. And we can be almost certain that it will have nothing to do with the state of the economy.
What you have to understand about Italian politics is that, often, it’s not actually about politics. Instead we hear about Berlusconi’s frequent attempts to publicise the beautiful women Italy produces, exemplified by the recent European elections. Berlusconi was heavily criticised for his choice of candidates to represent his Freedom Party; not only were they young and attractive, but they had very little political experience. Barbara Matera, whose CV includes: actress, TV announcer and former Miss Italy contestant, was the only one of the candidates to make the final list. Very relevant, I think you’d agree.
To understand Mr Berlusconi’s ‘appreciation’ of such female specimens, one need only switch on the television. RAI, the Italian State-controlled channels and Mediaset (of which Berlusconi owns 54%) between them comprise 90% of Italian television channels. Hardly notorious for their tall stature, male presenters are dwarfed by leggy, 6ft blondes wearing little more than this month’s FHM cover girl at all times of day. For the media-mogul-turned-Prime-Minister perhaps this ploy to show off the beautiful women of a country renowned for its climate, cuisine and Catholicism, is with the intention of distracting the population from the numerous charges of corruption (which are all-too-often dropped), and accusations of Mafia association. On becoming Prime Minister back in 1992 he immediately – and dubiously – changed the law to ensure that he, along with his friends, would be untouchable to magistrates and any investigations surrounding them.
Since his rise to political power, Berlusconi’s politics have tended to sit on the backburner. Previous to his career as a politician he was famous for being the richest man in Italy, owning huge stakes in Italian media and buying the premiership football team, A.C. Milan. Unsurprisingly then, he has well and truly perfected his gift of the gab. Last year The Telegraph released an amusing recollection of his best 10 gaffes of the year. To the long list of inappropriate comments we can add his advice to New York investors keen on doing business in Italy: “Another reason to invest in Italy is that we have beautiful secretaries... superb girls.” Very professional, Mr.B.
Recent allegations have resulted in slightly more serious personal consequences. Having been photographed at his Sardinian villa during the summer surrounded by topless teenagers, the 72 year old lothario’s wife publicly announced that she would be filing for divorce after he attended the 18th birthday of Noemi Letizia, an aspiring model with whom his relations were unclear. Ironically, he was unable to attend the 18th birthday party of his own daughter. It would seem that, for Ms Lario, this was the final straw.
For many Italians, the perma-tanned, gleaming-toothed, hair-transplanted granddad risks negating the reputation of their country in the International arena. After recently being attacked with a porcelain figure of Milan Cathedral in which he lost two of his dazzlingly white teeth and broke his nose, his leadership was further put into question. Nonetheless, true to form he got back up and on with the job (all be it after a quick fix of plastic surgery).
For many others, especially foreigners, he takes some getting used to. The Queen expressed her distaste at the volume at which he speaks and Obama was declared a friend of Italy because he is, as Berlusconi tactfully put it, ‘very tanned’.
On the other hand, for those of us back in prim, proper and very P.C Middle England, however ‘undemocratic’ his ways and however much you disagree with previous comments and actions, there is no denying that a bit of character makes politics a whole lot more interesting. Maybe Cameron and Brown could learn a thing or two…
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