Italy

[minionofmidas]

Though every international leader, even Bush (who held out to the last) has congratulated by now, Berlusconi still refuses to recognize defeat.

[Keystone Phil]

Though every international leader, even Bush (who held out to the last) has congratulated by now, Berlusconi still refuses to recognize defeat.

Yeah, enough is enough now. He is really embarrassing.

[minionofmidas]

One of the new Abroad MPs (in the Camera), Arnold Cassola, was the top candidate of the Maltese (Green-allied) Alternativa Demokratika in the 2004 European elections, where they polled a shock 9.4% (but failed to win a seat) and is now working at the European Parliament in some capacity.

[Keystone Phil]

Berlusconi has finally stepped aside (for anyone that still cares). I'm sure it will be fun to watch Parliament go on with Berlusconi leading the opposition. I wonder if there will be new elections called by the end of the year.

[minionofmidas]

Berlusconi has finally stepped aside (for anyone that still cares). I'm sure it will be fun to watch Parliament go on with Berlusconi leading the opposition. I wonder if there will be new elections called by the end of the year.

New elections quite this close is exceedingly doubtful (as in, a historic first ... In Italy, they'll try some months of weak caretaker governments well before they try new elections, although in the end they do these as well if nothing else helps) ... as to how long Prodi can remain PM though, that's up in the air.

Berlusconi resigned after Prodi won the first major test of pushing his candidates for the speakerships through, btw.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Quotes from Berlusconi in yesterday's Star Trib: "We will be missed.", "This will be remembered as the best government in the history of the republic."

You can't make this crap up. But not suprising Berlusconi's ego is still the size of Jupiter until the end.

[minionofmidas]

Ah, but my favorite Berlusconi quote (not from a public speech) is "You have to remember that our average voter has the mental capacity of an eleven year old."

[minionofmidas]

Odd little stat -
troops in the Axis of Willing
1) US, well over 100,000
2) UK, 8000
3) Italy, 3000 - to withdraw
4) South Korea, just over a 1000

Other nations to once have exceeded 1000 troops - Spain, Ukraine (withdrawn), Poland (figure reduced by about 3/4, and thence below 1000)