Italian Government Collapses

Italy's government finally fell Thursday, after Prime Minister Romano Prodi lost a confidence vote that making it clear that Italy’s leaders know they are about to face a deep political and economic crisis but are venomously divided over how to solve it. During the debate one senator rushed in fury to colleague, Stefano Cusumano, taunting him and apparently tried to attack him. Mr. Cusumano, 60, reportedly cried, then collapsed.

His attacker stated “If I had the chance, I would have spit in his face,” (Senator Tommaso Barbato) His action came after Mr. Cusumano changed his vote to support Mr. Prodi. After the vote, which Mr. Prodi lost 161 to 156, he submitted his resignation, ending his 20 turbulent months in office and the 61st government here since World War II. Of course Silvio Berlusconi is urging for immediate elections, as the richest man in the country he believes he can do something to pull Italy out of its economic and political crisis. Another option is the president could also ask Mr. Prodi, or another member of the center-left, to try to form a new majority. Or he could appoint an interim government of technocrats charged with reforming, among other things, the electoral law, which most experts agree creates thin, unstable majorities.

In an earlier blog I reported on the popular Beppe Grillo, the political comic and blogger. He made a statement on this issue stating that "We’ve tried the right, then a false left,” “Where is the difference between right and left? There is none. If we go to elections with the same old law, people face a situation of no hope.”

Apparently in many ways, Mr. Prodi’s government seemed doomed from the start, due to the difficulties of assembling a stable coalition in a nation with scores of small parties, each with a strong sense of self-preservation. His coalition was composed of nine parties, ranging from conservative Christian Democrats to Communists. They agreed on little, and at times ministers demonstrated against their own government.

The government has “reached the end of the line,” Senator Renato Schifano, who is with Mr. Berlusconi’s party, Forza Italia, said before the vote was taken to eject Mr. Prodi. “That’s what Italians feel right now, and they’re ready, and cannot wait to breathe a sigh of relief.”

I have many mixed emotions about this article. How does this country function without a proper government? Do they really want to rely back on Berlusconi's who controls majority of the media. Its an awful situation and it is tearing their country apart. Sooner or later they need to be able to support its citizens with everything they need our of a government. 61 governments since WWII, that is outrageous!