By a narrow margin of 316-301...PM Silvio Berlusconi's 18 year long Italian love affair and soap opera continues...when his coalition narrowly won a confidence vote in the lower house of parliament.
The outcome was in doubt up to the last votes.
Silvio had earlier appealed for support to a chamber half empty from an opposition boycott...by claiming: "There are no alternatives."
The anciano loathe-ario has recently been unable to hold together his slim majority coalition on simple measures.
Silvio's political high wire act is still under attack with 4 separate trials for sex exploitation, corruption, tax evasion and embezzlement.
And worse...Eurozone authorities balk at his slow walk on austerity measures...in the face of massive debts...E1.9bn/ $2.6tn...with deficits of 120% of GDP...and may demand more than the current E60bn/$82bn in cuts.
Italy's 10-year bonds are rising again...to a costly 5.86% rate...from a recent 5.5%.
Berlusconi's own approval rating is just 24%.
Nevertheless...observers are betting on a spring election...well before his term expires in 2013.
And a massive demonstration vs him is expected tomorrow in Roma.
AND : Analysis by S. MEICHTRY...of Silvio's system of control...with quotes like..."I'm afraid Berlusconi-ism won't end with B. It has become a way of thinking, acting and dealing
with everything that is public."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204002304576628472351885118.html