Italians flood Rome in anti-Berlusconi protest

[Judi Lynn]

Source: AFP

Italians flood Rome in anti-Berlusconi protest
9 mins ago

ROME (AFP) – Italy's opposition staged a giant rally in Rome Saturday, claiming 2.5 million people had taken to the streets to protest against tycoon Silvio Berlusconi's right-wing government.

In a demonstration organised by Walter Veltroni's centre-left Democratic party (PD), left-wing activists marched to the Circus Maximus under a sea of red and green opposition flags proclaiming that "another Italy is possible."

Veltroni, whose PD is riding low in the polls after its defeat to Berlusconi's new conservative People of Freedom (PDL) in May, called the protest the biggest in recent years.

"From what I can see and from the information I am receiving, this is the biggest protest organised by a party in a number of years," said Veltroni at the rally.





Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081025/wl_afp/italypoliticsdemoopposition

[Cirque du So-What]

1. I don't know much about Italian politics

but allowing Berlusconi back into power only a year or so after removing him from office seemed awfully impulsive. It appears the populace is having second thoughts...again.

[illuminaughty]

5. They have what we have

Stolen elections and a monopolized media owned by Berlusconi. They never went to the right. In the protest before Iraq war Rome had the largest anti-war rally in the world. Pretty incredible considering their population.

I lived there off and on for years and I can't tell you how "left" thinking that country is but the media monopoly has been a problem for decades.

[formercia]

7. Berlusconi stole the election to stay out of prison

and have his cronies grant him immunity once again.

[alcibiades_mystery]

9. People deeply involved in Italian politics don't know much about Italian politics

Trust me.

:evilgrin:

:-)

[Nambe]

2. Veltroni is an open book if he believes what he writes.

Berlusconi is older then McCain and should retire to write Mémoires. He has had a long run.

[Dover]

3. Wow...this sounds so familiar

Berlusconi is, among other things, a media tycoon.



"Even if we are one million people protesting today, Berlusconi will say there was only one hundred of us. And he will be able to do that because he controls so much of the media," said Livio Giorgi.

..snip..

"My children have no guarantees for the future. We do not want a US-style society where we cannot afford the schools. The government must invest more money into state schools instead of giving it to the banks," she told AFP.

Gianni Mazzoni from the northern city of Modena said while Italy needed to be modernised, Berlusconi's method was clearly all wrong.

"Italy needs to modernise certain services like schools, universities and health but not in the way that Berlusconi wants to," he said.

"He just wants to dismantle the public services, close all the schools and kick out the teachers. Eight billion euros less for education?" he thundered.


Corporatism must be fought in every corner of the world. And we must recognize that many of the multi-nationals are using this current 'crisis' to consolidate further and grasp more control. Democracy is a foreign concept to corporatists. The people must become involved in the decision-making for our future instead of allowing a bunch of stuffed shirts to decide for us.
Change, yes. Corporatism, NO!

[RainDog]

4. I hope Italy moves back to the left

What's been going on with the Roma - with the election of Mussolini fascists...

hope the good things happening in the U.S. can inspire others to expect better government.

[illuminaughty]

6. They have exactly what we have

Let me rephrase...they are far more left than we ever thought about being. The word "fascist" is spray painted all over and it is the equivalent of the N word here. They are trapped and trying to come out from under the regime with pirate television throughout the country.

Think how much worse it would be if Bush himself actually owned the airwaves. They have stolen elections and media monopoly.

[alcibiades_mystery]

10. Italy first has to invent a Left again

Echoes of the late 1970's still resonate throughout the political landscape.

[mimitabby]

8. I just got an email from a friend in Italy

Apologizing for Berlusconi's words

chiedo scusa a te e a tutti gli americani per le parole offensive rivolte da quel cretino del nostro berluscaomeravigliao ad Obama.
Un primo ministro può anche pensarle certe cose ma, in ogni caso, se le tiene per se e non le dice pubblicamente quando rappresenta il proprio Paese all'estero.
Ancora scusa.

I apologize to you and all the americans for the revoltingly offensive words of that cretin our marvelous Berlusconi about Obama

A prime minister must also think certain things but in every case, if he does, he should keep them to himself
and not say them publicly when he represents an entire country from abroad.
Again, excuse US.