Italian Prime Minister Sinks Even Lower with Vulgarity and Ineffective Government

A Great Country Being Undone by a Terrible Prime Minister

One of the surprises of the current European crisis is that Italy has been included with countries like Greece and Spain and Portugal as far as concerns about fiscal integrity and fiscal stability are concerned.  The surprise is that even though Italy is not doing all that well, it does not seem to be doing so badly that it should require massive European aid.

The reason for concern for Italy is largely the result of concern over its Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi.

Mr. Berlusconi's conservative People of Freedom Party has been besieged by criticism over the billionaire media mogul's lavish parties. Analysts and business leaders have also begun to question whether Mr. Berlusconi's flamboyant governing style is compounding investor concerns over the size of Italy's €1.9 trillion ($2.53 trillion) debt and stagnant economic growth.

 Here is just the more recent problem.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi set off a political firestorm on Thursday by quipping that he would name a new political party after a slang term for female genitalia.

Lest anyone think this is an anomaly, there is this

The premier has long said he prefers to spend his evenings relaxing in the company of female dancers and models, some of whom he has brought into his political ranks. The premier is on trial in Milan for allegedly paying a then-17-year-old girl for sex, a charge he has repeatedly denied, adding that the girl was simply a guest at his palatial villa.

And this

And senior figures from with the church have now called on him to resign.

Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco said his general 'behaviour is contrary to public dignity'

However Mr. Berlusconi is not without his supporters

Alessandra Mussolini, the granddaughter of former Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini and a lawmaker allied with Mr. Berlusconi, played down the comment.

"The premier made a joke, and I appreciated it. I found it splendid. It means he considers us protagonists at the center" of his ranks, she said.

although whether or not support from the granddaughter of Mussolini is the kind of support anyone would want is open to question.