SAIS-professor in the news again
One of my old professors at Johns Hopkins SAIS in Bologna, John Harper, is interviewed in a Swedish newspaper today (here). I think Harper makes one very good comparison: Italians elected Berlusconi for the same reasons that the Brits elected Thatcher; hoping that economic problems would be thoroughly addressed. But Berlusconi has not at all delivered, which gives the opposition a good chance to win, says Harper.Personally I just decided to travel to Italy for the week of the election, and I am looking forward to an election victory that finally will end Berlusconi's years in politics. In 2001 I lived in Bologna and watched supporters of Berlusconi and the neo-fascists celebrate together in a piazza. Let us hope that the Italian left, an alliance of some nine parties, won’t mess up this time.
(Picture of Piazza Maggiore in central Bologna)
posted by Eric Sundström at 5:28 pm
2 Comments:
As if we needed more evidence to get rid of him, Berlusconi has managed to be even more vulgar and ridiculous than normal in the last few weeks - stating he would abstain from sex, that his role was like Napoleon, and now partially comparing himself to Jesus - see this from the BBC.
I too was in Italy for the election campaign in 2001... I can particularly remember some nasty jigsaw puzzles to be given to small children which - when complete - had a smiling face of Berlusconi on them. Ugh.
Berlusconi is becoming even more crazy these days, hopefully Prodi can cheer up and give us a new Italian government. And talking about the jigsaw puzzle, remember the booklet with some 100 pictures of Berluxxsconi!!?
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