Should Silvio Berlusconi stay or go?
| 08:38 UK time, Tuesday, 14 December 2010
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UPDATE: Mr. Berlusconi is staying. He won the 2 votes of confidence, scraping by with a 3 vote majority in the lower house. Some Italians have took to the streets.Ìý Read more from Gavin Hewitt here.
Italians have dubbed it B-day. Just a few minutes ago, Italy's Prime Minister Silvio BerlusconiÌýwon theÌýfirst confidence vote test in the Senate but must now face a second confidence vote in the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies.
´óÏó´«Ã½'s Gavin Hewitt explains:
A no-confidence vote in the Chamber of Deputies, however, will be much closer.The word is that it may come down to one vote. It's that close. If Berlusconi were to lose he would have to resign.
Mr Berlusconi, 74, a three-time Prime Minister, is halfway through a five-year term but his position has been weakened by the series of scandals, largely involving his relationships with women. His critics say the personal scandals and corruption allegations are too much for the PM to remain. Others say there is no other leader ready to take his place and it would be detrimental for the Italian economy for Berlusconi to leave now.Ìý
On Monday, Mr Berlusconi urged MPs not to jeopardise the country's stability by ousting him.
If your concern over Italy's difficult situation is honest and real, then the only possible way forward is renewing confidence in my government
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The Times of London has an editorial on why they think Mr. Berlusconi has to go.
The deputies should be bold. Mr. Berlusconi is not only an embarassment to his country he is a liability. His claims to economic stewardship are hollow. the danger that elections might return a fragmented coalition is less than the danger of retaining this septuagenarian. Habits are hard to break, but Mr. Berlusconi has become an expensive one.
Lots of you have got in touch with the ´óÏó´«Ã½
Davide in Milano emailed
I hope, although I'm not confident, today will be the end of Berlusconi 's empire and the beginning of a new life for Italy.
Giovanni in Lecco wrote
I hope Berlusconi is victorious. Fini and the left wing politicians are throwing mud on him to set up a new government without a democratic vote
We'll continue to update this story as it develops.
Should Mr. Berlusconi stay or go?
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