Silvio Berlusconi
- The neutrality of this article is disputed.
Berlusconi is also famous as a businessman owning a large proportion of Italian Media, some banks and other companies. His ownership of AC Milan has been claimed to be an important factor in the success of his political career (Forza Italia is a football chant meaning "Go Italy"[1]). His media ownership whilst being prime minister has been a source of controversy.
Italian public opinion is split in judging his actions and controversial personality. To some he is a corrupt figure of hate, to others he is the leader driving Italy forward.
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2 Policy 3 Legislative actions 4 Wealth 5 Media Ownership 6 Berlusconi and controversy 7 Legal investigations of Berlusconi 8 External links |
Berlusconi's business career began with construction in the 1960s. His first entry into the media was a cable teleision station, Telemilano designed to service his Milano 2 residential development. Soon afterward he formed his first media group, Fininvest and from there he expanded to a country wide network of local TV stations which would reuse the same materials, forming, in effect, a single national station. At the start of the 1980s he founded a full national network Canale 5 and began to become known to the Italian public.
In the early 1990s, the major Italian Parties, the Christian Democrats (DC) and the Socialist Party (PSI) lost strength because of corruption in the Mani Pulite affair. This lead to the expectation election would be won by the Democratic Party of the Left (PDS) (the former Communist Party (PCI)) unless there was a strong alternative.
Berlusconi decided to enter politics on a platform of the defeat of communism. Others have claimed that his entry was rather designed to help him avoid the bankruptcy of his companies due to $24Billion of debt[1].
Berlusconi founded Forza Italia[1] and he became Prime Minister in 1994, his term in office was short because one of the parties (Lega Nord or Northern League) in his majority dropped out of the coalition following Berlusconi's failure to respect the coalition pact, moving the majority's weight to the centre-leftist side. The coalition of opposition parties (now including Lega Nord) then replaced him. In 1996 the ad-interim coalition formed by Lega Nord and centre-left was replaced, after a new election, by a centre-leftist government (without Lega Nord) led by Romano Prodi.
Meanwhie, in 1995, Berlusconi sold a portion of his media empire, now based in the company Mediaset, first to the now bankrupt, German media group Kirch and then by public floatation. In 1999 Berlusconi expanded again in the media business in a partnership with Kirch called the Epsilon MediaGroup.
In 2001 Berlusconi again ran as leader of the centre-right Casa delle Libertà (House of Freedoms) coalition which includes Alleanza Nazionale (National Alliance), CCD, Lega Nord and other parties. His success in this election lead to him becoming Prime Minister once more, with the coalition receiving an impressive 53% of the vote. As of 2004 he is still Prime Minister of Italy.
On July 1, 2003, Italy assumed the rotating EU presidency, represented by Berlusconi.
Since its election, Casa delle Libertà has done less well in the 2003 local elections and, in common with many other governing groups suffered a setback in the 2004 elections to the European Parliament only 43% support . Forza Italia's support fell even more, by a third, from 30% to 20% of the votes cast even in the high turnout of 70%.
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As he founded his Forza Italia party and entered politics, Silvio Berlusconi claimed to believe in "freedom, person (the individual), family, enterprise, Italian tradition, Christian tradition and love for weaker people" [1].
The Berlusconi government has had a strong tendency to support further integration with the European Community, especially in the economic sphere. It was Berlusconi's government which oversaw Italy's success in joining the European Monetary Union from the outset. Whilst there have been accusations that the requirements were partly met by clever accounting, it is in any case clear that this required a major commitment from Berlusconi and his allies.
Some Berlusconi's allies, such as the Northern League are strongly anti-immigration and getting their support has required anti-immigration policies from Berlusconi. Berlusconi himself has shown some reluctance to pursue such policies as strongly as his allies might like[1]. Even so, a number of anti-immigration measures have been taken. The strongest, and probably most popular being the practical naval blockade of the Italian cost to stop boats carrying immigrants from arriving in Italy. Whilst this measure definitely reduces arrivals at the coast, it is also seen as a way of reducing the loss of life in the regular disasters at sea caused by attempted crossings of the Mediterranean.
Berlusconi has pursued an agenda of pensions reform, even to the extent that protests against this were a major cause of the collapse of his first government.
Italy, under Berlusconi, became a substantial ally to the United States of America in 2003 as Berlusconi supported the American/British-led Iraq War to oust the regime of Saddam Hussein.
Other policies
As an evidence of this they quote that within the period 2001-2003:
332 bills, 184 approved laws and 148 halfway, concerning matters like fiscal facilities for medium-low incomes, family relief, new jobs creation, start-up of big reforms and bureaucracy simplification.
Among the most important reforms there are:
The Berlusconi government has presented a new legislation which was described as a reform of the media. This legislation included an increase in the percentage share that an individual was allowed to control and allowed Berlusconi to avoid selling some channels which he owned at the time. The legislation also deals with the roll-out of digital television and internet based publishing, and hence his government claims it resolves the problem of conflict of interest and his media monopoly "by opening up more channels". See the section on media ownership for more information.
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As an entrepreneur, Silvio Berlusconi has interests in a variety of businesses. Forbes Magazine lists him as the wealthiest person in Italy and estimates his net worth at around $10 billion [1] as of 2004.
Berlusconi owns three national television channels , which prior to the elections took around 45% of viewer share. According to the Economist[1], source which Berlusconi disputes Berlusconi controls "90% of all national television broadcasting". This measure includes stations he owns as well as those he has direct control of through the post of Prime Minister and his ability to appoint the management bodies of these stations.
Berlusconi also owns Il Giornale a major national newspaper and Panorama a news magazine. Berlusconi's brother has further interests in publishing.
Several noted journalists who where critical of Berlusconi, for example Daniele Luttazzi, Enzo Biagi, Michele Santoro and Indro Montanelli, have disappeared from the media, but there has been no substantive evidence suggesting that Berlusconi was involved in these dismissals. In the meantime his own company Mediaset has managed to increase its market share.
Berlusconi has always been a controversial figure and it is the many controversies about him that he has become one of the best known leaders in Europe. His general right wing, populist ideals, in themselves, have been accused of [1]
The most famous incident which has been widely reported about Berlusconi is that, upon being criticised by a German member of the European parliament Martin Schulz (SPD) during Italy's presidency, he reacted with the words "Mr. Schulz, I know there is a producer in Italy who is making a film on the Nazi concentration camps. I will suggest you for the role of kapo. You'd be perfect." The reference to the Nazis caused an uproar in the 626-seat assembly and a short diplomatic crisis between Italy and Germany.
Other incidents
Berlusconi has been subject to a number of legal investigations and has even been convicted of "illegal party financing, corruption, bribery and false accounting"[1] however no legal process against him has yet been completed to the end of the appeal process.
Berlusconi's allies claim that this is due to politically motivated persecution and indeed, one famous attorney, who prosecuted Berlusconi, Antonio di Pietro, the leader of the Mani Pulite pool, subsequently entered politics and was elected with the votes of the post-communist party.
Berlusconi's enemies, on the other hand claim that it is only through political manipulation that he has avoided jail.
Since his candidacy, Berlusconi was attacked by some prosecuting attorneys over various subjects. Berlusconi was accused of corruption and crimes like massacre and implication with the mafia. Evidence was not found and the accusations were dropped.
Berlusconi has recently appeared on trial on charges accusing him of bribing judges who had to try important business disputes in which his companies were involved. The trial had been suspended (see below) and has now being resumed.
In June 2003, facing further legal action, Silvio Berlusconi pushed through a controversial law granting himself immunity from prosecution while in office. Several members of the judiciary were prosecuted for taking bribes to make a decision in favour of Berlusconi but his own situation had been "frozen" by the new laws. In January 2004 his "immunity legislation" was annulled by the Constitutional court as it was ruled to have conflicted with the constitution. Subsequently Berlusconi has declared his intention to seek to re-introduce the law using the correct procedure for constitutional modification. In the meantime, his trial for corruption may recommence but it is unlikely to finish as there is ample opportunity for his legal team to use stalling tactics in order to exceed the time limits.
Judicial and customs investigators claim to have uncovered large offshore slush funds controlled by Berlusconi and his companies which were expected to lead prosecutions for financial and tax evasion offences. So far he has avoided prosecution, in part as a result of legislation his government majority has introduced such as de-criminalising "false" accounting and making it more difficult to obtain legal documents from overseas. Documentation from the Swiss government which Italian judges required for a corruption trial were only handed over after Italy agreed not to use them to prosecute Berlusconi for the Tax evasion offences they were accused of.
Members of the Pool rebelled themselves against the legitimate government when it proposed laws to limit their power (the parties of the government think they are excessive).
Berlusconi has also been indicted in Spain for a $25 million dollar tax fraud, but has used his status as a member of the European Parliament to gain immunity from prosecution.
Career
Policy
Legislative actions
Berlusconi's government has passed many pieces of legislation. Forza Italia supporters proclaim the spirit of enterprise the premier puts in the administration, and claim his staff act with the mentality and efficiency of private entrepreneurs.
Berlusconi has pushed many incentives that have allowed Italians to (not anonymously) "buy off" their criminal past for many financial offences and thus gain immunity from future prosecution, like most of the previous governments.Wealth
Media Ownership
Berlusconi and controversy
Berlusconi fought very hardly against the Communists and post-Communists parties (in Italy there are two Communists parties). Some speculate that this is a reason for attacks by journalists allegedly close to such parties. However, it is interesting to note, that one of Berlusconi's strongest media critics outside Italy is a respected right wing weekly, with beliefs not dissimilar to his in a number of areas such as the War on Iraq and pension reform, The Economist. The war of words between Berlusconi and the Economist has been infamous and widely reported with Berlusconi having an active court case in Rome against the Magazine whilst the Economist has continued by publishing open letters against Berlusconi[1].Legal investigations of Berlusconi
A good friend of former socialist premier Bettino Craxi, he has been accused of having used political pull throughout his business career, and of various sorts of corruption, including conflicts of interest. He has been convicted on these accusations in court, but the conviction yielded no actual prison sentences, as the trials took so long that they were closed because of the statute of limitations.External links