(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most people in Italy are expressing little faith in Silvio Berlusconi, according to a poll by IPR Marketing published in La Repubblica. 51 per cent of respondents have no confidence in the prime minister, unchanged since October.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most people in Italy are expressing little faith in Silvio Berlusconi, according to a poll by IPR Marketing published in La Repubblica. 51 per cent of respondents have no confidence in the prime minister, unchanged since October.
Italian voters renewed the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in April 2008. Final results gave Berlusconi’s right-wing coalition—encompassing the Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL), the Northern League (LN), and the Movement for Autonomy (MPA)—344 seats in the lower house, and 174 seats in the upper house. The victory put an end to the government of the centre-left Union (Unione), headed by Romano Prodi.
Berlusconi was sworn in as the country’s new head of government in May 2008. He had previously served as prime minister from May 1994 to January 1995, and from June 2001 to May 2006.
The prime minister’s private life has been featured prominently in Italian and foreign media since May, when Veronica Lario—who has been married to Berlusconi for the past 19 years—said she would seek to divorce him after suggesting that he is "a man who frequents minors." Lario was referring to Berlusconi’s attendance to the birthday celebrations of 18-year-old aspiring actress Noemi Letizia, who confirmed the prime minister’s presence that day.
On Nov. 18, Berlusconi rejected the notion that a new legislative vote is in the works, declaring, "I am surprised to see reports that continue to make it seem that early elections are imminent. I have never considered anything like that."
Polling Data
Do you have confidence in Silvio Berlusconi?
|
|
Nov. 2009
|
Oct. 2009
|
Sept. 2009
|
|
Yes
|
45%
|
45%
|
47%
|
|
No
|
51%
|
51%
|
50%
|
Source: IPR Marketing / La Repubblica
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Italian adults, conducted from Nov. 13 to Nov. 16, 2009. No margin of error was provided.
