Et tu Berlusconi? Italy's Fourth Coming

The Rough Beast slouching towards Brussels

Les Romains de la décadence, 1847, Thomas Couture

While the Greeks may have invented democracy. It was the Romans who institutionalized it in republican form. Oddly enough it is now the most democratic of all virtues that may help undermine its very existence. We are the people, and in the curious case of the Italian people it seems convicted felon is just the perfect candidate, much to the horror of his fellow European politicians. But Brutus was an honourable man concerned with good of his people. That is why he stabbed his stepfather to death, to save the Republic. Mario Monti had crossed over to the dark side, implementing the austerity messures dictated from Brussels. He introduced new taxes, dared to balence the books only to step down, politely, before his term ended. Monti dared to cross the Rubicon with an army of European legislations. Was he too ambitious? Thus, in a world, where the best lack conviction and the worst are full of passionate intensity, he made way for the Fourth Coming.

The curious case of the Italian people

 
For Silvio Berlusconi the old-Roman motto, all the power to the people seems to work quite well.  To the faithful it is clear, he is the man to save Italy from the evil Iron Chanellor, the communist lefties, burocracy and the judicial system. After the sex scandal, bunga bunga parties, orgies, a conviction as well as allegations of tax fraud, corruption, bribery and embezzlement this candidate should have been finished, right? Who could take his government seriously? Already Shakespeare's Anthony lamented: "Oh judegement thou art fled to brutish beasts and men have lost their reason". But Berlusconi dosen't want to win over the minds of his voters. His newest panem et circensis strategy aims to catch the hearts of the undecided voters, while 60% of all the Italian voters already profess their trust in Berlusconi, especially, when he promises a tax return and end all austerity mesures.

A Roman Fall 2.0?

Does that really win votes? His programm reads like the augmented version of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire 2.0. He clealy identifies the European barbarians from Brussels, especially the all-powerful Germany, as a threat to the Italian way of life. Like in the olden days the spectre of communism is looming large over the horizon, a fragmented party system is causing inner turmoil and civil unrest. Therefore the consumate and effective campain stategist Berlusconi calls for reforms in all governmental branches, starting, however, with the judicial branch. According to il Cavaliere the judiciay has no business intervening in politics. The key word here seems to be personalized law. A man with 103 accusations on record, firmly states the Italian judicial system was a travesty, when he should be glad that the judges were nice enough to delay his latest trial until after the election. That beggs the question is his return to politics just an ingenious scam to escape prison? In a recent interview with Euronews, when asked if the accusations against him were fabricated, he aswered evasively, that he had always been aquitted. In dubio pro reo, he seems to think  not being able to get enough evidence is the same as being innocent. 

Dekadent geht die Welt zugrunde - German Proverb

While Berlusconi's own decadence may be seen as a symbol of governmental corruption, Plautus and Terrence couldn't have written it better. For Jon Stewart, Silvio 'Lolito' Berlusconi is just "the worst Bond villain ever" but the rest of the world still, or yet again, questions the mental stability of Italian voters.  Europe is unpoplar, budget cuts are even worse and the People's Freedom Party knows that and uses populism to garner attention. Some celebrate the new old candidate as the saviour of the Italian Empire slouching towards Brussels to teach the heathens a lesson in humility. Others, like the Italian comedian Daniele Luttazzi compares his success with the pleasurable pain of anal sex, blaming the submissive opposition, bad journalism, the Italian character and the gaping hole for the success of Italy's enfant terrible. So, beware the Ides of March.