article about the new Italian Government
published in the weekly newspaper "Russia" May 22, 2008:
http://www.russianews.ru/articles/?id=543
right of Berlusconi's only Mussolini.
8 May was sworn in new Prime Minister Italy - 71-year-old Silvio Berlusconi. He headed one of the most right-wing cabinet in the history of the country. In the last election the Italians refused to trust the left politicians and put them on the party of conservative clerics. Their main result, besides winning Berlusconi, was a great success the far-right Northern League, which is twice improved his score (from 4 to 8 per cent) compared to previous elections. Now it has become a key ally of Berlusconi's ruling coalition, received four ministerial portfolios. Its leader, Umberto Bossi, head of the Ministry for the reform of the federal legislation. A minister without portfolio in general was appointed leader of the League "Roberto Calderoli, scandalously famous for the fact that once donned a T-shirt with anti-Islamic symbolism.
«League North "was a big Italian politics in the early 1990's. Initially, she expressed the mood of the people of the more developed northern regions of the country, mostly Lombardy and Veneto. They opposed the redistribution of the state budget in favor of corrupt and mafia-like southern Italy. This split between the north and south of the League of complementary harsh criticism of the central government of Italy. Prone to shocking the leader of the League of Umberto Bossi, has put forward became a famous slogan of "Rome - a thief, and in 1998 announced the establishment of an independent state of Italy from the northern regions under the name" Republic of falling. " This step, however, was perceived by Italian society as a clown.
the last election, "Northern League" has a focus on combating illegal immigration to Italy. The official campaign poster "League" represented the American Indian in feathered with the signature "I'm not opposed to immigrants and now live on the reservation. " Given the sharp growth in street crime in Italy last year, which accused it of immigrants from Africa and Romania, such a position "Northern League" and attracted to her large number of voters. It is significant that the major increase in the votes "League" was at the expense of workers, which previously had always voted for the Communists, but now felt that only the ultra-power can bring order to the country.
defeat of the Communists, not in parliament, and the success of the League "shocked Italy, and perhaps even more than victory Berlusconi. Immediately after voting in Rome was a great week festival dedicated to the anniversary of student unrest in 1968. Speakers at him talking about "fascization" and "Lumpenization" Italy. Moreover, in the Italian Media statements have appeared that the loss of the Communists representation in parliament would lead to the fact that the ultra-radicals in Italy again prefer street "extra-parliamentary" methods of struggle and violence.
This situation is even more tempers inaugural speech the new Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Gianfranco Fini. This is a longtime ally of Berlusconi, he leads the party "National Alliance", which in these elections the party merged with Berlusconi in an election block "People of Freedom." "National Alliance" in its origin may be regarded as neo-fascist party, uniting supporters of Mussolini after their defeat in World War II. One of the leaders of the Alliance "is the granddaughter of Mussolini - Alessandra. It is part of the Alliance in the previous правительствах Берлускони и вызывало очень резкую его критику во многих странах ЕС. Хотя объективно в настоящее время «Альянс» является гораздо более respectable conservative party than the same "Northern League".
Feeney, who was given a new coalition of key post of speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, has turned his inaugural address of the routine formalities in a very significant political statement. He turned with an expression of gratitude to Pope Benedict direct XVI (which in Italy have not done long ago), saying that the Pope is "the spiritual leader of the majority of the Italian people." Fini also returned to a pan-European high-profile scandal caused by the fact that in the preamble of the EU constitution did not include the phrase about the dominant role of the Christian culture in the development of European civilization. Italian Speaker, on the contrary, said that the parliament should recognize the fundamental role that the Christian Religion still plays in protecting the cultural identity of Italy. "
Hard Feeney and made anti-immigration. And it was quite clear in relation that the first deputy of the Italian parliament from the opposition has become a black African. Conservative public opinion in Italy has taken the the fact of a scandal.
Thus, two of the leading ally of Mr Berlusconi has already made it clear that the course of his new government must become more radical. This again may lead to rejection of Berlusconi's policies in the European Union. And here it may already be the objective conditions for further convergence between Italy and Russia.
Berlusconi has long been established trust relationship with the Russian leadership - both on energy issues (Italy - One of the largest in the EU consumers of our oil and gas), and in world politics in general. Italian prime minister was virtually the only major politician in the EU, which has openly called for the removal of "Schengen curtain 'and the establishment of visa-free regime with Russia. No accident that in his time, Viktor Chernomyrdin Italian gave a very comprehensive definition: "Berlusconi - our best friend."
is no coincidence that the first foreign leader to visit Berlusconi immediately after his election victory, was Vladimir Putin. Now it is important that our new President Dmitry Medvedev has not lost momentum and did not miss the opportunity to Russia's cooperation with "our best friend" even more meaningful and effective.
Oleg Barabanov
