Italy 2013: The official thread

[Keystone Phil]

Chances his poll numbers will jump in response to this news? Hey, remember who we're dealing with here...

[minionofmidas]

Hey, remember who we're dealing with here...

The Italian electorate?

[Keystone Phil]

Hey, remember who we're dealing with here...

The Italian electorate?

Yes. That's my argument for saying this could help him.

[minionofmidas]

Hey, remember who we're dealing with here...

The Italian electorate?

Yes. That's my argument for saying this could help him.

I was just making sure. You might have meant Berlusconi - not every Italian politician can get away with everything.

[DL]

Why does the Vatican keep telling people to vote for Berlusconi even after he's been repeatedly charged and convicted of raping child prostitutes?

[Hash]

Why does the Vatican keep telling people to vote for Berlusconi even after he's been repeatedly charged and convicted of raping child prostitutes?

The Vatican endorsed Monti.

[Keystone Phil]

Hey, remember who we're dealing with here...

The Italian electorate?

Yes. That's my argument for saying this could help him.

I was just making sure. You might have meant Berlusconi - not every Italian politician can get away with everything.

Well, I was talking about the Italian electorate regarding Berlusconi. I don't believe that anyone else would get as much of a pass.

[minionofmidas]

raping child prostitutes

Nobody has ever suggested such a thing. (You are of course thinking of the frankly disgusting American legal term 'statutory rape', but 'Ruby' was above the age of consent for sex, which in Italy is 14. It is, however, illegal to pay a minor for sex. To say nothing about calling a 17 year old a 'child' or indeed calling someone a 'prostitute' who never routinely worked in the trade.)

[DL]

Nothing surprises me with the Vatican considering how the Pope supported Hitler during World War Two

[Keystone Phil]

Nothing surprises me with the Vatican considering how the Pope supported Hitler during World War Two

Thanks for calling in.

[DC Al Fine]

Nothing surprises me with the Vatican considering how the Pope supported Hitler during World War Two

To quote Urkel.

"Good Lord, read a book!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZAIlBANH-0

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Nothing surprises me with the Vatican considering how the Pope supported Hitler during World War Two

That's hardly an uncontroversial analysis of history.

And, yeah, the Vatican's on Team Monti now.

[palandio]

Run-offs in Sicily:

Siracusa
Garozzo (center-left) 53.30% (18,902 votes) wins against Reale (civic list) 46.70% (16,563 votes)
First round was Garozzo 31.11% (14.311), Reale 27.05% (12,440), Bandiera (center-right) 21.18% (9,741) with others below 3,000 votes each.
Incumbent was Visentin (center-right)

Ragusa
Piccitto (5 stars movement) 69.35% (20,720) wins against Cosentini (center-left) 30.65% (9,156)
First round was Cosentini 29.34% (8,877), Piccitto 15.64% (4,732), Antoci (center-right) 15.05% (4,555), Platania (civic list) 14.54% (4,400), Barone (civic list) 13.06% (3,953), Iacono (SEL) 12.36% (3,741).
Prior to the election the comune was under the administration of a commissar because the center-right administration elected in 2011 had been dissolved (guess why...)

Messina
Accorinti (left-wing indy) 52.67% (47,866) wins against Calabrò (center-left) 47.33% (43,017)
First round was Calabrò 49.94% (!!!) (40.870), Accorinti 23.88% (19,540), Garofalo (center-right) 18.49% (15,130)
Incumbent was Buzzanca (center-right).

The results from Ragusa and Messina should give big headache to the PD.

[Zanas]

These are some wild vote transfer patterns ! Wow !

[Antonio the Sixth]

Good. Honestly, PD did not deserve to win these elections. If they can get their ass kicked by M5S or independent left-wingers, that's perfect.

[minionofmidas]

Hilarious!

[Keystone Phil]

Am I reading this correctly: Forza Italia is returning? It true, is PdL completely folding?

[jaichind]

Berlusconi’s Lead Widens in Italy Poll of Voting Intentions
By Lorenzo Totaro
July 5 (Bloomberg) -- Former PM Berlusconi’s lead over Democratic Party’s bloc and its allies increased to 4 pps vs 2.9 pps last week, Trieste, Italy-based SWG pollster says in survey distributed by e-mail. • Berlusconi’s coalition at 37.3% vs 36.1% last week: SWG • PD and allies at 33.3% vs 33.2% last week: SWG • Beppe Grillo’s Five Star Movement at 17.3% vs 18.1% last week: SWG • Former PM Monti’s centrist party and allies at 6.3% vs 6.6% last week: SWG • Poll conducted July 2-3 on 1,500 intws

[Keystone Phil]

Clowns and Monti continue to slide.

[Rocky Rockefeller]

Good to see M5S losing support. Unfortunately Berlusconi doesn't seem to have taken any damage at all from his conviction.

[FredLindq]

Is there still a 4% threshold for the EP elections?! Will FDI and other Centreright ally with PDL in the EP due to that?!

[Keystone Phil]

Unfortunately Berlusconi doesn't seem to have taken any damage at all from his conviction.

Which isn't really surprising.

Is there still a 4% threshold for the EP elections?! Will FDI and other Centreright ally with PDL in the EP due to that?!

They're already aligned with PdL.

[FredLindq]

Are The already aligned in The EP elections? One list with PDL-FDI-Other ?

[Keystone Phil]

Are The already aligned in The EP elections? One list with PDL-FDI-Other ?

Not sure but if that 4% threshold is in place, they will certainly run together.

[FredLindq]

Will PD do the same?