Could Italy be the next Egypt

[sussexjob]

Have a few Italian friends who are sick of Berlusconi's antics and generally undermining Italys standing in the world, could this be the next uprising ?

[RobDickinson]

Arnt they a democracy?

[grumbledoak]

No. Many even like him. Some laughs and some hookers just amuses them. They've seen democracy before.

[davepoth]

sussexjob said:

Have a few Italian friends who are sick of Berlusconi's antics and generally undermining Italys standing in the world, could this be the next uprising ?

No. Most of the rural parts of Italy love him, in part due to his Mafia connections, also due to the amount of money he funnels down there, and also because he owns a lot of papers, and the largest commercial broadcaster, as well as taking a very active control of the state media.

[thinfourth2]

It would be nice if it had happened here under the last lot, just I doubt if we are civilised as eygpt and could do it as peacefully.

[Silver993tt]

Nothing similar will happen in any western European country. People are too well off and have comfortable lives compared to many in Egypt and other North African countries. These countries have huge numbers of very poor people whose poverty level is way below anything (and unheard of) within countries such as UK, Italy etc.

[Puggit]

It won't happen in Italy, they'll just have another election - it's a monthly thing

[V88Dicky]

A man of the people, a 'strongman' to 'unite through strength' the masses, if you will. To crush all dissent and 'get things done'.



A Leader?

Don't know if the Italian people would be up for it, but you never know.

[chris watton]

Riots in Italy! ROFLO
What you have to understand is this – Most Italians prefer the current government because, although corrupt, there are many levels of corruption in Italy – the current government do not like unrestricted immigration, and have tried to curb it, and also they are not so strict with tax – as anyone who has worked and lived in Italy will know, tax avoidance is part of their genetic make-up.

They know that if they had another socialist government, not only would the floodgates reopen for immigration, they will come down harder on tax, to help pay for their social experiments.

You will not get these views filtered through to the Western media, as they are, by and large, supporters of socialism – so they make fun (although not hard!) of the current government – hiding the unpalatable truth (for them at least) that more Italians like him than not.

That at least is my experience from the years I was there.

[lauda]

I think people are getting a bit confused between having an unelected dictator (Egypt) and having a democractically elected leader that some parts of the population don't like (Italy, UK, etc).

Italy elected Berlusconi so they can get rid of him if they want. Although I suppose this does assume that Italy is a properly functioning democracy