Berlusconi set to win Italian vote: exit polls

[maddezmom]

Source: Reuters

ROME (Reuters) - Conservative billionaire Silvio Berlusconi was on course on Monday to win Italy's parliamentary election and secure a third term as prime minister, according to exit polls.

Exit polls have not always proved reliable in Italy. One survey for Sky TV after two days of voting ended gave Berlusconi a 2 percentage-point lead over centre-left rival Walter Veltroni in the lower house and a 3-point lead in the upper house.

A second poll for state television also put the 71-year-old media magnate ahead in both chambers. The exit polls have a margin of error of two percent.

Berlusconi has vowed to cut Italy's public debt, trim taxes and liberalize the highly regulated services sector. But many Italians fear political instability will prevent the next government reviving an economy on the brink of recession.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080414/wl_nm/italy_election_dc

[non sociopath skin]

1. So Italy's decline will continue ...

... while Berlusconi and his Neo-Fascist buddies bilk the state further.

As my Grandma used to say, "There's none so blind as them that will not see."

Sad.

The Skin

[pretzel4gore]

2. good, so when mcbush reselected, it be no surprise

gotta give the nazipoohs one thing- they sure know how to herd cattle

[DemocratInSoCal]

3. I Hope The Human Race Dies Off

We deserve it. Let God start over.

[sudopod]

15. All of my best friends are humans.

I've gotta disagree. :p

The good guys just lost an Italian PM election, for cripesakes. It isn't like he'll still be there five years from now.

Ergo, I don't see it as an especially appropriate occasion for a "Woe woe woe, apolcalypse, lol" rant.

[brooklynite]

4. Current results (81% of votes counted)

Chamber of Deputies

People of Freedom 32.43 %
Northern League 9.22 %
Movement for Autonomy for People of the South 0.06 %

TOTAL SILVIO BERLUSCONI COALITION 41.72%

Democratic Party 38.76 %
Italy of Values 5.06 %

TOTAL WALTER VELTRONI COALITION 43.82 %

Union of the Center (Ferdinando Casini) 4.28 %

The Left-The Rainbow (Fausto Bertinotti) 3.92 %

The Right-Tricolor Flame 2.35 %

[rmgarrette64]

8. I'm seeing different numbers

From Bloomberg news, I'm seeing 46.2% for Berlusconi, and 39.1% for Veltroni.

However, they are not breaking things down by individual party. I'm not sure how to explain the discrepency, but the Bloomberg numbers do show a convincing win by Berlusconi, not even a close race - let alone some technicality where you lose the popular vote and still win the election.

R. Garrett

[OnyxCollie]

5. Reinstitute the government that provided the phony Nigerian documents

that led us to war in Iraq. Idiots.

[Alter Ego]

6. In other news, people everywhere go "What the fuck?"

[bemildred]

7. So this is what Berlusconi's "news" media say?

Or what? A 2% lead isn't much in a poll.

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Berlusconi leads in Italian vote

Italy's conservative leader Silvio Berlusconi is set to win Italy's general election, according to projections from partial results.
...
A projection by RAI state TV showed Mr Berlusconi 6% ahead in the lower house. The channel projected that he would win 164 seats in the Senate, compared to 139 for his rivals.

Another projection gave Mr Berlusconi a leads of about 9% in both parliament and the Senate.

Official results may not be issued until Tuesday.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7346666.stm

[Nutmegger]

10. Berlusconi leads in Italian vote

Source: BBC News

Italy's conservative leader Silvio Berlusconi is set to win Italy's general election, according to projections from partial results.

Mr Berlusconi, a 71-year-old tycoon, is bidding for a third term in office. His main rival is centre-left leader Walter Veltroni, formerly mayor of Rome.

Projected results showed Mr Berlusconi's bloc ahead for both the lower house and the Senate.

The vote was held after the collapse of Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7346666.stm

---

Excuse me ...



:puke:

[AX10]

11. Silvio reminds me of a mafia don.

Italy is clearly more F***ed up than we are. If they are willing to have that bastard back again, then what can I say. At least Bush is on his way out.

[DebbieCDC]

12. Italy is totally f***ed

And I say this as a half-Italian. Remember, this is Italy's 62nd government in 63 years. What does that tell you? I think all the brains in the country died off after the Renaissance.

[DavidDvorkin]

13. I guess the only consolation is that Berlusconi's government probably won't last long

[entanglement]

14. Blame the sham "leftist", Prodi

He waged a ruthless war against working people with the kind of relish usually shown by fascist thugs like Berlusconi.

[Eugene]

16. AP: Berlusconi reclaims power in Italy (Veltroni condedes)

Source: Associated Press

Berlusconi reclaims power in Italy

By ALESSANDRA RIZZO, Associated Press Writer
56 minutes ago

ROME - Conservative leader Silvio Berlusconi reclaimed power
in key U.S. ally Italy on Monday after clinching decisive
victories in both houses of parliament.
ADVERTISEMENT

The 71-year-old media mogul was congratulated by his main rival,
former Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni, who conceded defeat even
though the vote counting was still under way.

"The election result is clear even if we wait for the final data,"
said Veltroni. "It says that the right will govern this country."

Berlusconi, who was in his villa near Milan, made no immediate
statement, just waving as he passed in his Mercedes.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080414/ap_on_re_eu/italy_election

[maddezmom]

17. Billionaire Berlusconi wins Italian elections

Billionaire Berlusconi wins Italian elections by Gina Doggett
1 hour, 1 minute ago



ROME (AFP) - Self-made billionaire Silvio Berlusconi won a third term as Italian prime minister on Monday after his centre-left rival Walter Veltroni conceded defeat.

"As is the custom in all Western democracies, I telephoned Berlusconi to acknowledge his victory and wish him good luck in his work," Veltroni, 52, told supporters of his Democratic Party (PD).

Berlusconi, 71, had earlier all but claimed victory after poll results showed his centre-right alliance won six seats more than the minimum needed for an absolute majority in the all-important Senate.

The flamboyant Berlusconi and his ally Gianfranco Fini expressed "deep satisfaction" about the incoming results during a telephone conversation, the ANSA news agency reported, citing a Fini spokesman.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080414/ts_afp/italyvote;_ylt=Ag4z_9_qJou91bd.kpsLyec8KbIF

[Zodiak]

18. What the hell were the issues he was running on?

Getting his country involved in Iraq?

Well, we have had a 30 year love affair with everything conservative, even our Democrats....so I suppose I cannot begrudge another country for their love affair. Even if it has been too many of them like Italy.

Burlusconi owns 80% of the media outlets in Italy, by the way...sound fair?

[agincourt]

19. That 80% media ownership,

proves the concept once and for all, garbage in, garbage out. If Berlesconi didn't own the media I doubt if he would have got elected.

[Shoelace]

20. it worked here, Canada, France, and where else?

bloody media owned by corporate whores on a global level. Sweden too.
Damn sad state of affairs.

[Judi Lynn]

21. At least Conrad Black blew himself up "real good." That was entertaining.

He exerted a poisonous right-wing influence wherever his empire reached, even included columns by _Bush's Defense Department Richard Perle in his Jerusalem Post.

Glad to see that one bit the dust. So many more left, however, to go.

Including a video of the great _Bush buddy, Berlusconi as he PICKS HIS NOSE:

http://www.truveo.com/Berlusconi-picks-his-nose/id/4198876398



What is it about these guys?

[Shoelace]

22. HILARIOUS! He ate his own buger and chased it down with coffee!!

how gross but yet how funny. Thanks for the hearty laugh this am Judy Lynn.
Nero fiddled whilst Rome burned, Berlusconi picked his nose - Ha!