Italy 2013: The official thread

[Keystone Phil]

Martin Schultz (German President of the European Parliament) told Italians not to vote for Berlusconi. Many will remember that Silvio once compared Schultz to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

I hope these people know that these warnings probably help Berlusconi more than they hurt...

[Antonio the Sixth]

Martin Schultz (German President of the European Parliament) told Italians not to vote for Berlusconi. Many will remember that Silvio once compared Schultz to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

I hope these people know that these warnings probably help Berlusconi more than they hurt...

If you are right, that means Monti saying that Germany fears a Bersani victory would help the left, too?

I know, I'm getting desperate...

[Iannis]

Martin Schultz (German President of the European Parliament) told Italians not to vote for Berlusconi. Many will remember that Silvio once compared Schultz to a Nazi concentration camp guard.

I hope these people know that these warnings probably help Berlusconi more than they hurt...

Actually neither help nor hurt. Schultz is already well known as Silvio's enemy, it's not a surprise as it would have been if some other more bipartisan european leader had expressed himself

[Keystone Phil]

Last day of campaigning. It's been fun. Hope there are some entertaining stories today.

[Keystone Phil]

Berlusconi is skipping the final rally in Naples today due to minor health issues. He will address the crowd by video.

[Keystone Phil]

Serious flooding in Catania. Any Italians want to weigh in on the impact this could have? The city and surrounding areas went pretty strongly for the center-right in 2006 and 2008.

[MaxQue]

Serious flooding in Catania. Any Italians want to weigh in on the impact this could have? The city and surrounding areas went pretty strongly for the center-right in 2006 and 2008.

Hopefully, some mafiosi will drown.

[Andrea]

I didn't follow leaked polls. So now I can't figure out what are the nicknames of various pollsters.

I suppose Grillo got his momentum back and he will comfortably comes ahead of Monti.

[Zanas]

Serious flooding in Catania. Any Italians want to weigh in on the impact this could have? The city and surrounding areas went pretty strongly for the center-right in 2006 and 2008.

Hopefully, some mafiosi will drown.

While I appreciate the fun potential of this post, I would gladly take info on the initial question by Phil, because it might be of a substantial importance. After all, this election is bound to be played at a 2-3% stake...

[MaxQue]

Serious flooding in Catania. Any Italians want to weigh in on the impact this could have? The city and surrounding areas went pretty strongly for the center-right in 2006 and 2008.

Hopefully, some mafiosi will drown.

While I appreciate the fun potential of this post, I would gladly take info on the initial question by Phil, because it might be of a substantial importance. After all, this election is bound to be played at a 2-3% stake...

Well, Catania isn't that big, compared to the average population of Italy.

[Keystone Phil]

Grillo's final rally has quite a crowd in Rome.

[Keystone Phil]

Anyone catch the line ups this weekend?

[Hash]

Coming from Berlusconi, I would have though 'giustizia' and 'trasparenza' would be playing for the other team.

[MaxQue]

It's probably "giustizia parziale" if written in long, given his tendency to try vote laws granting himself immunity.

[Antonio the Sixth]

"lotta all'evasione" and "equazione del benessere" are just as hilarious, of course. That said, this being Berlusconi, I wouldn't be surprised if he has added other things like "good morals", "youth", "competence", etc...

[Keystone Phil]

"lotta all'evasione" and "equazione del benessere" are just as hilarious, of course. That said, this being Berlusconi, I wouldn't be surprised if he has added other things like "good morals", "youth", "competence", etc...

"Celibacy"

[Zanas]

Players can always score own goals of course...

[Keystone Phil]

Players can always score own goals of course...

I thought that as well.    I think they purposely placed Giannino in the opposition goal to suggest a very late goal keeper error if Silvio actually does narrowly pull this out. I'm guessing you were suggesting an own goal on the other side though. 

[MaxQue]

I know most of the names there, but who are Casini, Giannino and Montezemolo (that last one sounds like a wine)?

[Hash]

I know most of the names there, but who are Casini, Giannino and Montezemolo (that last one sounds like a wine)?

Casini: useless boring hack who is the leader of the Monti-loving 'Union of the Centre' (failed DC wannabies)

Montezemolo: former boss of Ferrari and the employers' federation, leader of a small party which is part of Monti's Scelta Civica. Centre-right and anti-Berlusconi

Giannino: useless moron/fraud leading some even more useless neoliberal party, frauded his resume by saying he had a law degree and masters from Chicago School of Economics. Will win the austerity-loving creeps and nobody else.

[Kitteh]

"lotta all'evasione" and "equazione del benessere" are just as hilarious, of course. That said, this being Berlusconi, I wouldn't be surprised if he has added other things like "good morals", "youth", "competence", etc...

That one might be serious. Berlusconi seems to love youth.

[SPQR]

Anyone catch the line ups this weekend?

Typical PdL,make it look as it's a football match.
A bit like you.


Anyhow a swiss-italian journal interviewed several pollsters,and they all agreed that Bersani's advantage was quite substantial,and the only sure thing was how Berlusconi could never,ever get a majority in both House and Senate.

[SPQR]

I know most of the names there, but who are Casini, Giannino and Montezemolo (that last one sounds like a wine)?

Casini: useless boring hack who is the leader of the Monti-loving 'Union of the Centre' (failed DC wannabies)

Montezemolo: former boss of Ferrari and the employers' federation, leader of a small party which is part of Monti's Scelta Civica. Centre-right and anti-Berlusconi

Giannino: useless moron/fraud leading some even more useless neoliberal party, frauded his resume by saying he had a law degree and masters from Chicago School of Economics. Will win the austerity-loving creeps and nobody else.

Giannino also invented having an economics degree,FWIW.

[Tender Branson]

Well, time for my prediction:

30% IBC
27% Berlusconi
21% M5S
14% Monti
  4% RC
  4% Others

The PD should be the strongest party. M5S could actually come in as the 2nd strongest party, but I'm not sure. Depends on the size of the protest vote.

[Keystone Phil]

Anyone catch the line ups this weekend?

Typical PdL,make it look as it's a football match.
A bit like you.

Lighten the hell up. Christ.

And, for the record, reputable news organizations and posters have discussed Football's role in this election but if you think I believe the game will be the deciding factor in this election, that's your problem.

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And what did these people say when they predicted Prodi's comfortable win and Berlusconi's two point win in 2008?

Just playing devil's advocate so spare us the "BERLUSCONI LOVER!!!" routine.