Immunity ruling changes little in Italy

Italy's head of government Silvio Berlusconi no longer enjoys general protection against criminal trials. The Constitutional Court in Rome has weakened certain key aspects of the country's immunity laws. Not the government but the judges will decide in future whether official business prevents the accused from appearing in court. But the country continues to be paralysed, the liberal daily La Stampa fears: "The ruling doesn't really change anything. Berlusconi can choose to see the glass as half full or half empty. … Anyway, the judgement is soon likely to be forgotten both within the parliamentary majority and outside it in favour of more enervating and incomprehensible political wrangling. So everything threatens to stay the same as it was. If early elections are to be held the decision must be made soon. Unfortunately at this stage any decision would seem better than the uncertainty that has been paralysing the government, the parliament and the country for the past few months."

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