Italy 2013: The official thread

[Keystone Phil]

I think Bersani is the safe bet. Though, aside from Prodi, we have seen what safe bets have gotten the Italian Left...

[Peter the Lefty]

I think Bersani is the safe bet. Though, aside from Prodi, we have seen what safe bets have gotten the Italian Left...

Damn.  I really would love to see my fellow gay tree-hugging socialist kick Berlusconi's ass.  Plus, Berlusconi is such a better campaigner than Bersani that I'd actually think he'd be likelier to win (not that I'd claim to know, but given that Berlusconi tends to keep coming back again and again, and Bersani has, in Antonio's words, the charisma of a stale pizza, it would seem that way). 

[batmacumba]

I've not been following italian news since a while, sorry.

Anyways, I planned to start my polling tracker, but I can't find the recent polls anymore. Shame...

Antonio, I hate to say, but You're taking too much time to do It and I'll have to update mine...





Lastpoll: August 1st

[Californian Tony]

I've not been following italian news since a while, sorry.

Anyways, I planned to start my polling tracker, but I can't find the recent polls anymore. Shame...

Antonio, I hate to say, but You're taking too much time to do It and I'll have to update mine...

No problem, of course ! But where do you find poll results ?

[batmacumba]

English wikipedia

[Californian Tony]

Ah, I see. I always fear wikipedia on this kind of things not being exhaustive.

[batmacumba]

And of using bad pollsters, too. But once the amount is large and I'm using a 6 variables polynomial regression, unless there's a huge amount of crappy pollsters It is usefull to observe trends and evaluate the big picture.

[Keystone Phil]

Well, that PdL surge was certainly short lived and the jokers are rebounding. My God...

[Keystone Phil]

August 29th IPR poll:

PD - 26%
PdL - 20%
M5S - 15%
UdC - 7%
IdV - 6%
SEL - 6%
LN - 5%
FLI - 2.5%
FdS - 1.5%
LD - 1%
Others - 10%

[Keystone Phil]

I saw Matteo Renzi, the Mayor of Florence, on the cover of a magazine with a sub headline mentioning Bersani. Does anyone know if he is running in the PD leadership primary?

[Californian Tony]

Sadly, I'm completely unaware of Italian political developments since july, roughly. I need to find some good internet based media source.

[Keystone Phil]

Looks like he's running.

[Peter the Lefty]

I have seen some stuff that looks like he's running.  Since I liked Vendola's Facebook page, I keep seeing news articles (all in Italian, unfortunately) and to pages on Vendola's web site (or SEL's, not sure which).  And there has been some stuff about Renzi, and it certainly looks like there's a catfight going on between those two (or was). 

[RogueBeaver]

Berlusconi set to reclaim the PdL leadership tomorrow.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/silvio-berlusconi/9543588/Silvio-Berlusconi-poised-to-announce-political-comeback.html

[Marcus Aurelius]

It will never end... -______-'

[Peter the Lefty]

Goddamit.  Message to the center-left primary voters:
Get your ing acts together and nominate Vendola or condemn Italy to god-knows-how-many more years of rule by this paedophile clown!  Your choice!

[asexual trans victimologist]

Berlusconi set to reclaim the PdL leadership tomorrow.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/silvio-berlusconi/9543588/Silvio-Berlusconi-poised-to-announce-political-comeback.html

Dear Jesus God no.

[Californian Tony]

I have to say highly doubt this will actually affect Italian politics apart from further sinking the PdL in electoral abysses.

That said... I shudder at the possibility of being wrong. The extent of human stupidity is limitless.

[Keystone Phil]

I have some...eh...well connected friends in the party. I visited them yesterday and they were saying how Berlusconi had a big speech today (which they unfortunately had to miss). They didn't tell me it was his official reclaiming of the leadership speech though.

Speaking of PdL and my visit...

[Keystone Phil]

Goddamit.  Message to the center-left primary voters:
Get your ing acts together and nominate Vendola

Uh...he has to be the least electable, dude.

[Keystone Phil]

He skipped the youth rally and is struggling with indecision. Many supporters are pissed that he didn't attend - http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-italy-berlusconibre88d1bj-20120914,0,7153822.story

[Keystone Phil]

PdL is embroiled in a party expenses scandal in Lazio. The PdL Governor might actually resign over it even though party leaders, including Berlusconi, are urging her not to in hopes of avoiding an early election.

[Peter the Lefty]

Goddamit.  Message to the center-left primary voters:
Get your ing acts together and nominate Vendola

Uh...he has to be the least electable, dude.

In terms of ideology, yes.  In terms of skill, campaigning abilities, and being able to get the votes of people who otherwise would not vote to vote, he's probably the most electable. 

[RogueBeaver]

If Berlusconi doesn't run it doesn't matter. For some reason the Italian right has never developed a rock-solid ideological base of say, 25-30% of voters like the PD.

[Keystone Phil]

Goddamit.  Message to the center-left primary voters:
Get your ing acts together and nominate Vendola

Uh...he has to be the least electable, dude.

In terms of ideology, yes.  In terms of skill, campaigning abilities, and being able to get the votes of people who otherwise would not vote to vote, he's probably the most electable. 

Ok, that's fair. It certainly does take some skill to win as a gay Communist in Puglia. That said, it helped that the center-right was split. We'll see if that is the case nationally.