Berlusconi sentenced to a year in prison!

Italian sentencing guidelines indicate that people aged over 75 and with sentences of less than two years do not have to actually go to prison. Mr Berlusconi is 76.

Didn't he give himself amnesty of something ridiculous like that?

And what would Tony Blair be charged with? Invading Iraq was perfectly legal under British law.

The question now is - will he serve time?

And will Tone and one or two of his pals end up going the same way?

And yet, the Italians would still want him in their government. Only in Italy.

Presumably it's a split situation, as here - there seems to have been a huge protest vote in the latest election against him.

What do you mean against him? it was a protest vote against austerity and the German oppression led by Monti not Berlusconi! He went from having virtually no share of the vote to 29.1%, that is quite an achievement. You have followed the election right or did you jump on an anti-Berlusconi band wagon?

I haven't jumped on anything, I haven't been following this latest election in any detail, but I do know enough about Silvio in the past to take a minute to celebrate him being given a prison sentence, even if he won't serve it.

Berlusconi got, what, 46% in the 2008 election? Hardly a ringing endorsement of his coalition that his vote slumped to 29% is it. Why are you saying that the protests weren't against him? Are you in love with Berlusconi for some reason, you seem to be busy trying to defend him?

What do you mean against him? it was a protest vote against austerity and the German oppression led by Monti not Berlusconi! He went from having virtually no share of the vote to 29.1%, that is quite an achievement. You have followed the election right or did you jump on an anti-Berlusconi band wagon?

I quite like Berlusconi. Certainly a far more interesting, lively and daring politician than the grey haired, bland bunch that we have over here.

Oh hello, I'm Italian and two weeks ago I voted (for SEL, the socialist party, 3,5%). I'd like to say a few things on what's going on around here: first, it is true that Berlusconi was sentenced, but he will not go to prison because he's over 65, therefore he will probably get away with a fine (not that money is such a problem for him), then, on our elections results, Berlusconi scored the 29% because damn old people and all those who believe his populist promises keep voting for him (after 20 years they still don't get he never practices what he preaches!) and there is no way to get rid of him except someone kills him, or he dies, or all the people who vote for him die. Ironically, even his electors at the time of polls were ashamed to admit they wanted to vote for him since he was predicted around 16%. Furthermore, the democratic party is far too weak and moderate, this is why they did not win, Monti was too moderate-catholic and unpopular since he only thought of taxes and austerity….and so Grillo, the populist-comedian without ideology, won.

I'm quite ashamed of my country right now

Berlusconi sentenced? Instantly a thread about Blair somehow.

I don't know what it is, but I somehow am getting a feeling that OP has some kind of hidden agenda.

Oh hello, I'm Italian and two weeks ago I voted (for SEL, the socialist party, 3,5%). I'd like to say a few things on what's going on around here: first, it is true that Berlusconi was sentenced, but he will not go to prison because he's over 65, therefore he will probably get away with a fine (not that money is such a problem for him), then, on our elections results, Berlusconi scored the 29% because damn old people and all those who believe his populist promises keep voting for him (after 20 years they still don't get he never practices what he preaches!) and there is no way to get rid of him except someone kills him, or he dies, or all the people who vote for him die. Ironically, even his electors at the time of polls were ashamed to admit they wanted to vote for him since he was predicted around 16%. Furthermore, the democratic party is far too weak and moderate, this is why they did not win, Monti was too moderate-catholic and unpopular since he only thought of taxes and austerity….and so Grillo, the populist-comedian without ideology, won.

I'm quite ashamed of my country right now

You clearly have as you seem to lack the basics of what happened this election and it doesn't have anything to do with disliking Berlusconi for whatever it is he has allegedly done.

Rarely do people get an outright majority in Italy, in-fact in the last 20 years the average election percentage for a win is around the 45% mark. I am saying the protests were not against him because they were not, if you followed the damn election you'd understand that this was a vote against austerity not against Berlusconi or anyone else. Yes I love the old man, nothing better than his schmeckle in my mouth

Presumably it's a split situation, as here - there seems to have been a huge protest vote in the latest election against him.

Basically what tehFrance is saying