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Kate Farmer

Cutting to the chase

Alle Stories

Erstellt am: 5. 2. 2013 - 15:22 Uhr

Berlusconi bounces back

Reality Check: Berlusconi's comeback, football match fixing, Delhi trial, Mali's Tuareg, Standard and Poors sued by US

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It's only a little over a year since Silvio Berlusconi was forced to stand down as Prime Minister of Italy. He was replaced by the technocrat, Mario Monti, who was expected to straighen out the country's economy which was floundering under a monumental debt crisis.

Monti's tenure was never intended to be a long one. It was a short term measure to tide the country over until the next elections, which are coming up on the 23rd and 24th of February.

Berlusconi was eventually defeated by a vote of no confidence, but his premiership had seen more than its fair share of troubles. Numerous allegations of corruption, fraud, bribery, mafia connections, "bunga bunga" parties and, most scandalously, allegations of having sex with an underage prostitute, had peppered his career. Then there were the series of quite mind-blowing gaffes and offensive comments that would have been the nails in the coffin of any less irrepressible politician. But however much muck was thrown at Mr Berlusconi, nothing ever seemed to stick.

That was until he lost the support of the parliament and had to resign. People danced in the streets and, at the age of 75, most thought they were seeing the last of Berlusconi. But, like a phoenix from the ashes, or maybe the bad smell that hangs around, Berlusconi is wading in to the new election like a conquering hero, or maybe a bull in a china shop.

EPA/MATTEO BAZZI

Berlusconi is on the campaign trail, working hard to win back voters

Whatever you think of the guy, you have to admire his cheek. Having driven the country to the brink of bankruptcy, he is now promising tax cuts and to put himself in the Finance Ministry if his right wing coalition is elected in 3 weeks' time.

It may sound bizarre, but he's actually surging in the polls and Italians seem to be willing to put him in power once again. Josephine McKenna reports from Rome on how Berlusconi is managing his big comeback.