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Berlusconi Falls Below 50% Mark in Italy
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - A scandal revolving around Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s love life has not significantly affected the leader’s standing, according to a poll by IPR Marketing published in La Repubblica. 49 per cent of respondents express confidence in Berlusconi, down four points since May.
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.
In May, 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.
Earlier this month, Italian newspapers La Repubblica and L’Espresso released the content of an audiotape in which a professional escort, Patrizia D’Addario, supposedly talks about an appointment with the Italian prime minister late last year.
On Jul. 22, Berlusconi admitted that he may not be a role model, saying, "I am not a saint. (…) Everyone understands that, we hope that our friends at La Repubblica will also understand that."
Polling Data
Do you have confidence in Silvio Berlusconi?
|
|
Jul. 2009 |
May 2009 |
Apr. 2009 |
|
Yes |
49% |
53% |
56% |
|
No |
50% |
44% |
41% |
Source: IPR Marketing / La Repubblica
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Italian adults, conducted on Jul. 18, 2009. No margin of error was provided.