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Italy: 95% Reject Berlusconi Laws

  • June 15th, 2011
  • Posted by EUEditor

berlusconi-two-2001-ecthumbnail12.jpgAll votes tallied; Italians on Sunday (12.6.11) voted down referendum proposals from the Berlusconi government in a strong turnout (57%), and by very wide margins – around 95%.

ruby-rubacuori1.jpgOn Tuesday, a court hearing had resumed, in which the Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi (picture), is accused of hiring an under-age prostitute, and abusing his office by helping her out of some trouble with the police. (See EUAustralia Online, “Bunga! Bunga! Berlusconi set for April trial”, 16.2.11. Picture, above, “Ruby Heart-stopper”.)

The four referendums had been called to obtain confirmation of laws that would give immunity from prosecution to government Ministers, sell the water supply to private buyers, and re-start the nuclear industry – suspended after the nuclear accident in Japan last March.

Voters said yes to the repeal of those laws, generating fresh pressure on Berlusconi, whose right-of-centre political coalition took heavy losses in recent local elections.

It is facing a confidence vote in parliament on 22.6.11, with speculation now that members of the junior coalition partner, the regional autonomy party, Northern League, might sidle away from the embattled Head of Government.

Mr Berlusconi, who is also the defendant in three fraud cases, said the referendum was not important, urged people not to vote, and did not put in a vote himself.

Reference

Euronews, Lyon, (Video), “Berlusconi brushes off referendum defeat”, 15.6.11.
http://news.google.be/news/search?aq=f&pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&hl=en&q=berlusconi&btnmeta_news_search=Search+News, (15.6.11).

James Mackenzie, Reuters, London, “Berlusconi allies in disarray after referendum blow”, 14.6.11. http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE75D2BK20110614, (15.6.11).

UPI, Washington, “Vote deals blow to Italian nuke power plan”, 15.6.11.
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2011/06/15/Vote-deals-blow-to-Italian-nuke-power-plan/UPI-24611308134700/#ixzz1PLESHDDv, (15.6.11).