Poll Shows Collapse in Berlusconi Support

[buzzsaw_23]

Poll shows collapse in Berlusconi support
By Tony Barber in Rome
Published: September 26 2005 18:38 | Last updated: September 26 2005 20:22

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's prime minister, was dealt a blow on Monday when an opinion poll showed a collapse in support for his Forza Italia party and his leadership of the Italian centre-right.

With a national election due by May, a survey by the SWG research institute put Forza Italia's support at 17.5 per cent, the party's lowest score since it swept to power in 2001 with 29.4 per cent of the vote.

Forza Italia has struggled in opinion polls and in European, regional and local elections since at least June 2004, but the latest survey cast doubt over Mr Berlusconi's future at a sensitive time in Italian politics.

A crisis over Antonio Fazio, the Bank of Italy governor, combined last week with internal government disputes over Italy's 2006 budget to trigger the resignation of Domenico Siniscalco as finance minister.

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/921567ae-2eb0-11da-9aed-00000e2511c8.html

[Inland]

1. Why? How many people did HE get killed? nt

[bluestateguy]

2. 27

http://icasualties.org/oif/Country.aspx?hndRef=IT

[Inland]

5. Pshaw. Bush does that before taking his long weekend. nt

[jeff30997]

3. Berlusconi is a mobster.

Good riddance if he's flushed !

[lovuian]

4. I'm not surprised!!! First it was Spain Next Italy then Britain!!!

Its the Bush Domino effect!!!

[1932]

6. So what's the name of the progressive party leader we should all be

looking out for?

I'm feeling good about Germany, Spain and just about every other European election in which the guages of public sentiment have been tilting left (even if ever so slightly).

I'm ready to start cheering someone on in Italy.

Who knows something about Italian politics?

[6th Borough]

7. And this will be what? The 57th post-WWII Italian government?

He lasted (and may still..) quite a while when viewed through Italian eyes.

As they say, with wealth (Berlusconi is the wealthiest Italian) comes priviledges. I'm farily certain that his ownership of the largest Italian media conglemerate didn't hurt.