An obituary of Silvio Berlusconi
Rome the day after, it's Tuesday the 11th April. Italy has voted and the result is still not set so well. Time, the government led by Silvio Berlusconi, head of the "Casa delle Libertà" in the House of Representatives, the majority, a time she is the leader of the opposition alliance "Olive Tree" of his challenger, Romano Prodi. In the second chamber, the Senate, there is also confusion about the result. In the course of the day are signs an election victory for the opposition to Prodi. This is explained hastily to the election winner, is hardly the result rather well known. Luxembourg and Paris can not wait to congratulate the winner, there will not be all put to the President of EU Commission President Barroso.
The greatest joy is probably about that now at last one of "their" rules, Italy has finally "left", that's the main thing. "Law" are among the major industrial nations now only the evil U.S., Australia and recently Canada, the former are in Germany (Europe) already long hate object number one, the latter two are in Europe perceived politically difficult. Thus, the major industrial economies Europe again in the same direction politically, Spain, social democratic, Britain is social democratic, conservative France and Germany is somehow both, but the so-called conservatives in Germany and France are only Social Democrats, they bear a different name. And now belongs to Italy, the last major country up to its circle, "right" are now only the bad people in Vienna, Copenhagen and The Hague, but they are so, except Austria, according to European (ie germanofränkischem) understanding anyway just subdivisions of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
When at last is sure that the opposition won the elections even if just, will begin a play, not as we know from Western Europe. Prime Minister Berlusconi says he will not accept the result of choice and insist on recount some votes. It is arguably the last great appearance of a man with the little Italy and Europe even knew what to do.
Who is that Silvio Berlusconi, on his departure from office of the European governments would probably not be particularly sad?
Berlusconi was Italy's prime minister from 1994 already. The 1996 elections he lost, at that time was Prime Minister Romano Prodi, but in 2001 returned Berlusconi, with a majority that has been achieved in the Italian Parliament than ever before. Despite numerous government scandals, many internal conflicts and Berlusconi was able to date continue to govern unchallenged, with a term of 5 years in a row, he is even the longest continuously reigning head of government in the history of the country.
Berlusconi is not a typical politician, the son of a bank employee made a career that can only a few. So he built in the seventies, two satellite towns in his native Milan, then forward-looking projects. For these settlements he established a private TV channel since 1976 from its nationwide media empire grew, he now owns three television channels, with a market share of 45%, also newspaper and magazine stores. His skillful influence over the government removed legal obstacles to building Craxi his company. For its advertising agency Publitalia he forged in 1993, his party Forza Italia. As this then a year later won the election, Europe was shocked. A populist who also is a right, a media mogul, was prime minister of a European industrial country that had everything his European colleagues well accepted yet, but the worst that this man was an entrepreneur. He distinguished himself throughout his career significantly from all others, he learned not from the start in politics. In contrast to all French and most German politicians had this man of practical experience, he knew how to make a company successful, does not he know how to get through the instances of a party boxing. It was difficult to accept most of his colleagues, he was simply none of their own. So relieved they were in fact of his sudden and early political end.
Berlusconi had so ruled, as you would possibly expect from a political thriller. From the first day, he began the system is open for himself and his company to take advantage of the country's fate was of secondary importance. Berlusconi did what did all of his other colleagues, but he did not do it on the infamous Northern European style, but on a very open and direct way. He cut his laws according to their personal needs, he used his media power, as prime minister so he could now control the state media and favoring his company, himself and his friends. The other Europeans could not quite be, because Berlusconi led his people and the rest of Europe only imagine what politics really is and how it works. He caricatured the system in some way and that was the greatest fear of the Europeans. Italy was once more as backward, corrupt and politically immature known, but it took the future development of the democratic system can only anticipate. Berlusconi then disappeared when the demon finally, the relief was great to finally be able to leave Italy, Italy was finally back in Europe and no longer a banana republic. The new prime minister Prodi went on at once the darling of Europe, which later turned out to be an advantage.
Democracy is characterized by elections, Democrats are particularly proud of the fact that the elections allowed for a bloodless change of government and so it was 1996, also in Italy. The Prodi government lost the election and he was back again, Silvio Berlusconi. He, whom they considered long settled for could now govern with a large majority. And he did what he did best. He used the system open. He passed legislation that guaranteed him immunity, he legalized, how to cut it, determines types of tax evasion and he favored his media companies. Although there is no European Zugäbe politician ever, but they were probably all secretly jealous of Berlusconi's power and his perfidious system abuse. Besides himself and his company used the Berlusconi government is not particularly productive time, the political legacy of Berlusconi's poor. In memory probably remain only the nationwide smoking ban and some laws that protect politicians and entrepreneurs from justice. The fundamental problems solved Berlusconi of Italy, on the contrary. The national debt grew further as unemployment, economic growth was even after cheating at 0.1%. The economic balance sheet for Italy is more than thin. Italy, seventh-richest country in the world is, above all by a weak growth said the industry association Confindustria fears even expulsion from the G7 group. In the reign of Berlusconi's industrial production fell by 0.6%, Italy's share in world market halved since 1995, unit labor costs increased by 10%. The debt is 106% of GDP (excluding pensions Germany 68%). This is the conclusion of a country that five years was not governed practically, maybe this was the best that Italy could have happened at all. Italy (not Germany) is the country with the most laws, the difference with Germany is simply that it is the law only on paper, but (according to the Act and the [Un-] sense) hardly anybody holds, one last incredible advantage for Italy, against the law-abiding Germany.
The term of Berlusconi was mainly show. The now nearly seventy years, this was even on the day of the election can not, as his mother (95 years) to the polling station accompanied her. At times, Europe was all better informed about his plastic surgery and his heels, than about the actual work of government. But Italy is also here again just a little ahead. In the mass democratic politics will degenerate to the show, selected the entertaining, not boring, bread and circenis, but now that can afford any bread to dominate the games. The operation of the policy modern democracy degenerates to the entirely self-government circus. The greatest merit of this man is that he has shown Italy and the world how ridiculous the system of modern democracy. As head of government we have just all (fool's) freedom to favor himself and his friends, the power (not just the state-run media) is open to abuse for their own purposes. What we have so far been believed in Africa, achieved thanks to Silvio at the heart of Europe. Next generation of politicians should be grateful to him, grateful for this spill. In future, politicians use their power each direction open, they do not have to do this in secret. Berlusconi is at doing anything unethical or reprehensible, it is a very normal part of a democracy, it is used for personal gain. Berlusconi was in office as prime minister acted very pragmatic, he and his company better off everyone else in his situation would have done the same thing. Berlusconi made his European colleagues just before a mirror, how naive must one be to believe, a Democratic politician doing something for his country. This is the political ideal of parliamentary newcomers, the latest is buried at the end of the first legislature. Politicians remain people who belong to a class, at the expense of others (and often without their consent) to enrich. In this respect, Berlusconi has done just that, what everyone else is doing well. He has hurt his country, but also the reputation of the state, in particular democracy, at least for the latter, we should be grateful to him.
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