PantsGuardian cartoonist Steve Bell drew a whole series of images of John Major during the 1990s with underpants over his other clothes. In one particular cartoon Major – presumably after recycling some dead policy – puts the pants in the dirty washing only for him to don the same pair again without washing them. The same seems to be happening this month in Italy – the recycling of the old guard of Italian politics, with no change or reflection about what has gone before. Prodi was already back as PM for a second time before being kicked out a fortnight ago, and now it looks odds-on that Berlusconi will be back for a third stint as PM after snap elections this spring. Is Italian politics simply incapable of coming up with anyone new? The whole system is pants, and there’s even a strange odourudeur about the collapse of Prodi’s administration.

One person who might be happy about Berlusconi’s return is Tony Blair. He’s no longer PM in the UK but he might get another invite to Sardinia for some additional outings in a bandana with Silvio, plus the prospective Italian leader might help his campaign to become President of the European Council.

[UPDATE 06.02.2008, 1800]
For some hair raising politics of Berlusconi in Brussels, and no bandana in sight, try this good analysis from the FT’s blog.

One Comment

  1. giacomo

    unfortunately Italian political system at a certain point in some way crystallized, I made an example it seems that for being the new major of Rome (the present one, Veltroni, will run as Prime Minister) two men will run, Mr.Fini and Mr.Rutelli, both heavy weights of their parties but also the very two that ran for the same place17 years ago!!!

    Many young Italians try to fight this suicidal tendency of this country of getting fossilized but the system is strong enough to just keep better people away, so best young Italians go away, towards other EU countries or US, the others stay at home till they are 35 or 40 years old waiting for having enough money to buy a house.

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