The idea of India having an Italian PM reminds me of Orwell/Blair's Burmese Days - remember the woman who thinks the Indians 'look like Dagos'?
What's THAT to do with anything? She is Italian by birth, but her Heritage most definitely goes back to India, so I figure she DOES know what things are like there.
About sympathy-votes: looking at elections around thw world, there ALWAYS are sympathy-votes, or votes because you have ALWAYS voted that way
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And her withdrawal was most likely avoiding conflict.. but not nesecarily for herself, but to get some more stability into the new gouvernment. If you avoid conflict for yourself, you don't go into politics.