According to recent data, one Italian woman out of two is without a job. Youth unemployment remains a problem and black economy jobs are a veritable sickness, with roughly 26 per cent of those engaged in such work based in the southern region of Calabria.
Any serious democracy would expect to see leading politicians dealing with these and the many other structural problems of the country to help it compete successfully in the global market. Yet Italy is again in the international headlines only for the predicament of its Prime Minister – or, rather, for the alleged payments he made to have relations with various women: prostitutes, unknown starlets and ambitious social climbers. The list is a long one. And the media narrative is told through apparent admissions from some of them, via leaks about wire-tapping and some released documentation from investigating prosecutors. An official request to bring Silvio Berlusconi to court was made to the Italian parliament.
The story making news in Italy and all over the world concerns private parties organised for Italy’s Prime Minister, with only a small bunch of male companions present (including a television director), entertained by a much larger group of young and usually very attractive girls. One, Ruby the so-called heart-stealer who has North African roots, was allegedly under-age when she first visited one of Berlusconi’s residences. When she was arrested for theft, Ruby was immediately liberated (in spite of current Italian criminal legislation) after prompt political pressure, possibly from the Prime Minister himself.
Police and prosecutors’ reports, along with recorded telephone calls, allude to an abuse of office and the abetting of prostitution. It is as if Berlusconi and his selected close friends were in a porn film, with “bunga bunga” practices and sexy dances by semi-naked females and the Italian leader acting like a mini emperor, singing his favourite songs or telling funny stories to a captive audience. Rumours abound of girls leaving parties and dinners with envelopes stuffed full of euros.
Berlusconi’s supporters have leapt to his defence. “He never touched any of the girls”, “He is simply too generous”, “He just feels alone”, they say. Or even: “His dignity has been degraded by this politically-motivated media campaign and judicial persecution.” Worryingly, this reasoning among the Prime Minister’s faithful friends has trickled through to his voters, many of whom seem to admire his “stamina”.
Yet the pressure on Berlusconi now is greater than it has ever been. He decided to deliver some speeches to the nation to defend himself and counter the charges of those who criticise him (as well as going out of his way to insult them). The line of counter-attack is confused, but Berlusconi is pursuing it with the characteristic brio he has shown in the past.
There are political pitfalls attached to this. If the government of Italy is not in crisis, then it is not far from it. There are also judicial risks. Once he is finally out of office, prosecutors are sure to pursue him again and this will lead to long and unpredictable trials.
So Berlusconi’s followers are trying to shield him in these turbulent times. They propose to stop the wiretapping for current investigations, to make some retroactive changes to the law about juvenile prostitution and seek to prevent “over-discussion” in news bulletins on the state television channels.
This latter point is crucial. If a news item, such as one on Berlusconi’s sex parties, is discussed in a television programme, some of his supporters propose that other TV shows or state channels should not be permitted to cover it for the following eight days. Paradoxically, bearing in mind Berlusconi’s record of media monopoly, the aim would supposedly be to avoid “excessive” coverage and promote a “diverse” range of news.
In truth, this is a grotesque attempt to stop the dissemination of uncomfortable information about the Italian premier. Equally shocking are the telephone calls Berlusconi has made during the broadcast of TV shows – ringing up to abuse journalists over coverage of the Ruby case. Could this happen in other Western countries? It seems inconceivable. And if it did, surely public reaction would be irreversible hostile?
Berlusconi’s downfall, when it comes, is likely to be spectacular and in line with his character. We cannot yet say when that day will be, as this is not the end of the story. The continuing revelations about Berlusconi’s private parties are a source of national embarrassment. But has managed to secure some support from the Roman Catholic Church, mainly because he promotes some of the Church’s interests.
Some brave religious voices talk about a genuine and worrying “moral discomfort”, but they almost never mention the name of the Prime Minister. In contrast, some prelates wonder why prosecutors have used such considerable resources for investigations into Berlusconi’s “private” life and suggest that “equilibrium” is needed from both sides – the Prime Minister Berlusconi and the judges.
Meanwhile, the political opposition remains fragmented and without a strong or voter-friendly leadership. Also striking is the silence in some intellectual circles when it comes to Berlusconi.
Many paradoxical things seem now to be tolerated in contemporary Italy. When describing the country, it is possible to talk about a “kingdom” and a “counter-Enlightenment rebellion”. And things continue to get worse while Berlusconi remains in power. He has degraded the dignity of his office and the dignity of a whole country. Women are derided after years of struggle for emancipation.
Italy has been deemed to be a good laboratory for democracy. But today the country is infamous for sultanate-like abuses, inequality under the law and, the exploitation of semi- prostitution.
Where is the famous high Italian culture? Is this Dante’s country? If so, which circle of his depiction of hell is Italy currently experiencing?
Andrea Mammone lectures in history at Kingston University and is a co-editor of ‘Italy Today – The Sick Man of Europe’, published by Routledge
