Italian PM Berlusconi to not stand for reelection

2011-04-14 21:43:38 GMT+7 (ICT)

ROME, ITALY (BNO NEWS) -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday announced that he will not seek reelection in 2013, the ANSA news agency.

Berlusconi, 74, also proposed Justice Minister Angelino Alfano as his heir in the center right People of Freedom (PdL) party. The PM has hinted in repeated times that he wanted to get away from politics.

However, aides said that the rumors of Berlusconi's future were taken out of context. Some critics believe that Berlusconi may make a bid for the presidency after his term as PM.

The Premier is currently involved in three criminal cases against him, three fraud cases and one of prostitution. Despite the legal issues, Berlusconi vowed to stay as PM until the end of his term in office in 2013.

Opposition parties have demanded the dismissal of Berlusconi due to the fraud and prostitution scandals in repeated occasions. Last week, Berlusconi appeared in court for a hearing for one of the four trials he faces.

Berlusconi's underage prostitution trial was adjourned until May 31 due to technical issues. The PM is accused of paying Ruby, a Moroccan belly dancer, for sex in September 2009 when she was only 16 years old during one of the Premier's parties at his Milan villa.

The PM reiterated Monday that he never "laid a finger on her," adding that the alleged victim has also sworn that the 74year-old politician never had intercourse with her. Prosecutors claim that the two had sex for at least 13 times when she was 17 years old.

Under Italian law, using a sex worker under the age of 18 carries a jail term of up to three years, while abuse of office carries a term ranging from six to 12 years. If convicted, Berlusconi faces up to 15 years in prison.

The Italian Premier also said that the prosecutors handling the three fraud cases and the prostitution one were "working against the country." Furthermore, he remarked leftwing prosecutors were trying to bring him down.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-04-14

With all the legal troubles he has, Berlusconi continues to laugh it off and joke about it, for example: "According to a survey, when asked if they would like to have sex with me, 30 per cent of women said 'Yes' while the other 70 per cent replied 'What, again?' "

Source: http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-179956.html

How much longer will Italy tolerate this behaviour? He certainly laid a hand-and a lip on Libyan dictator Ghadaffi. http://www.jokeroo.com/videos/yt/o0al-italian-pm-berlusconi-kissing-libyan-leader-ghaddafis-hand-presstv-100329.html He needs to step down imho

Sure he can step down, but so what?

There is a positive aspect of the story and that is that many Italians have stood up and said No and the judiciary has acted accordingly.

At least Italy will get rid of him peacefully.