As always with Italian parliamentary maneuvering, it’s a bit opaque, but two minor parties appear to have left the Berlusconi government. At least one wants the prime minister to stay, but with a different cabinet. The intentions of the other were not immediately clear. Early elections are not out of the question, ending Berlusconi’s quest to be the first postwar Italian prime minister to serve a full term.
A Fistful Of Euros
European Opinion
“Ciao” means “hi” as well as “goodbye”, btw. So your blog post title is about as helpful as was my German-English dictionary’s translation of “tsch??” (not very usefully, to “ciao”.)
My personal judgement is that Berlusconi will survive to the end of his term, which would make it a shame that the only post-war Italian leader to do so should be so creepy. Ah well.
Well, since at least one of the parties wants to re-form the cabinet but keep B as prime minister, maybe hello-goodbye is the way to go…