Post date: Dec 13, 2010 1:23:14 PM
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi warns that Italy risks falling into a crisis, as he speaks to Italy's upper house ahead of a December 14 no confidence motion which could drive him from office.
ROME, ITALY (DECEMBER 13, 2010) REUTERS - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi warned on Monday (December 13) that Italy risked falling blindly into crisis ahead of a no confidence motion in parliament that could be decided by no more than one or two votes.
Speaking in the upper house of parliament a day before a showdown which could force him from office and trigger early elections, Berlusconi said his government had kept Italy shielded from the euro zone debt crisis but that the threat of instability remained."We need continuity, a perfectly functioning government, wide institutional and political cooperation, and we need to have the capacity to decide things," he said to senators.
"We need everything except a crisis in the dark, without a valid alternative, decided by the Italians with their vote," he added.
The prime minister's hopes of surviving the vote are hanging by a thread, with political commentators predicting the outcome could be decided by as little as a single vote.
The 74 year-old media tycoon has gone through one of his toughest years in 2010, an "annus horribilis" of scandal and bitterness that has badly undermined his leadership and left his struggling centre-right government in disarray.
But on Monday he called for continuity.
"I am absolutely convinced that each of you knows that we can manage whatever legitimate dissent, whatever possible criticism but a break up no, a no confidence for the government, no, the division of the moderate politicians, no," he said.
Despite the unfavourable circumstances, the consensus on the streets of Rome is that Berlusconi will survive.
"I think Berlusconi might just make it, which would be a terrible disaster, but I believe it could be worse," Rome resident Roberto Franchi said.
"I hope that the government will go forward. Yes, because if there is someone in Italy that despite all his faults, his sins, is still a loyal person, that is Berlusconi," said Tina Reitano.
As the date labelled "B-Day" by Italian media approaches, a campaign of promises and arm-twisting has been underway to detach wavering deputies from the rebel camp and the government has been increasingly hopeful of getting through.
Political number crunchers in the media and parliament on Sunday (December 12) estimated Berlusconi may just have the numbers to survive with 314 possible votes against 313 for the combined opposition.
The result remains extremely uncertain and could depend on last-minute changes of heart or outside factors such as whether any of the three heavily pregnant deputies expected to vote against the government has to be absent from the chamber.
Even if Berlusconi scrapes through, there is little confidence that he will have the strength to push through the kind of reforms authorities such as the Bank of Italy believe are needed to address deep-seated problems in the economy.
"I think Berlusconi will just make it, after which the government will be ineffective. Because I think there has been vote-buying that has worked in his favour," said Rome resident Luisella De Felice.
"I'm not interested in whether this government obtains confidence or if another government is formed, as long as we have a government that gives Italy stability, that's the important thing, for the economic and social recovery of the country," Tiziano Spalletti said as he ordered his morning coffee.
Berlusconi's image abroad was summed up this month by a U.S. diplomatic report made public on WikiLeaks that labelled him "feckless, vain and ineffective as a European leader" and described him as being exhausted by hard partying.
At home, however, he has a reputation for being able to speak directly to the gut instincts of many Italian voters, who have long shrugged their shoulders at reports of their prime minister's gaffes and dalliances.