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Baumann, Meret
2 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Berlusconi threatened by Rubygate
The most recent scandal in which Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been implicated centring on his alleged affair with the underage belly dancer Ruby Rubacuori could be the end of his political career, writes the liberal-conservative daily Neue Zürcher Zeitung, because he has hardly any allies left: "This is about lies and abuse of power. Because if Berlusconi really did pressure the police to release the young Moroccan dancer after she was arrested on charges of theft, and claimed she was the granddaughter of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, he may have committed a punishable offence. Moreover this most recent scandal comes at a time of great vulnerability. ... The Italian industrialists' association is complaining that politics has ground to a complete standstill. The work of the government is confined to attempting to solve Berlusconi's legal problems, and since the break with Gianfranco Fini Berlusconi's majority in parliament has been hanging by a thread. The vote of confidence in September has shown that Fini can topple the government whenever he chooses. The former ally appears to be just waiting for the right moment."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Italy
Berlusconi bending the rule of law again
Italy's parliament passed another law on Wednesday aimed at preventing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from having to appear in court. Berlusconi is thus once again bending the laws of the constitutional state. This is also apparent in the attempt to get the governing People of Freedom party (PdL) on the lists for the regional elections despite errors committed by the party in the registration procedure: "The dilettantism of the PdL leadership as well as the recent corruption scandals in which above all the government has been implicated [are] an example of the Berlusconi regime's contempt for the constitutional state: laws and regulations are not taken seriously and manipulated to its own advantage. With the 'Legittimo impedimento' [legitimate impediment] that adds up to over twenty 'ad personam' laws which 'il Cavaliere' has now had his loyal parliamentary majority pass in the course of his political career. His shameless abuse of power may still have the power to shock us but it has long ceased to surprise us."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Italy
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