Italian center-left leader Walter Veltroni has telephoned his conservative rival Silvio Berlusconi to concede defeat in general elections. It will be the conservative billionaire's third term as Italy's prime minister. Veltroni's concession came after early results from the two-day election projected a big majority in both houses of parliament for the 71-year-old media magnate, who now has a strong mandate to deal with Italy's deep economic and social problems. "As is the custom in all Western democracies, I telephoned Berlusconi to acknowledge his victory and wish him good luck in his work," Veltroni told supporters. The Piepoli polling institute had earlier tipped Berlusconi's center-right coalition to win 164 of the Senate's 315 seats, giving him an absolute majority in the chamber.
Veltroni's concession came after early results from the two-day election projected a big majority in both houses of parliament for the 71-year-old media magnate, who now has a strong mandate to deal with Italy's deep economic and social problems.
"As is the custom in all Western democracies, I telephoned Berlusconi to acknowledge his victory and wish him good luck in his work," Veltroni told supporters.
The Piepoli polling institute had earlier tipped Berlusconi's center-right coalition to win 164 of the Senate's 315 seats, giving him an absolute majority in the chamber.
Silvio Berlusconi celebrated an election comeback triumph last night, putting him back in charge of the world's seventh biggest economy for a third term as the centre-left failed to summon the unity to stop him. Silvio Berlusconi celebrated a comeback triumph last night, putting him back in charge of the world's seventh biggest economy for a third term as the centre-left failed to summon the unity to stop him. In his first comments after winning Italy's election, Mr Berlusconi told a political programme on RAI television: "I feel great responsibility; difficult years await us." He said his priorities would include solving the rubbish crisis in Naples and that of the airline Alitalia, providing affordable new housing, and launching important new infrastructure projects - all without increasing taxes. "It will not take long to form the new government," he added. He said it would have 12 ministers "including at least four women" and would finish its five-year term.
Silvio Berlusconi celebrated an election comeback triumph last night, putting him back in charge of the world's seventh biggest economy for a third term as the centre-left failed to summon the unity to stop him.
Silvio Berlusconi celebrated a comeback triumph last night, putting him back in charge of the world's seventh biggest economy for a third term as the centre-left failed to summon the unity to stop him.
In his first comments after winning Italy's election, Mr Berlusconi told a political programme on RAI television: "I feel great responsibility; difficult years await us."
He said his priorities would include solving the rubbish crisis in Naples and that of the airline Alitalia, providing affordable new housing, and launching important new infrastructure projects - all without increasing taxes. "It will not take long to form the new government," he added. He said it would have 12 ministers "including at least four women" and would finish its five-year term.
This guy seriously sounds scary.
If the EU can keep "God" out of the Constitution, can we please keep "evil" out of political rhetoric as well?
"One of the first things to do is to close the frontiers and set up more camps to identify foreign citizens who don't have jobs and are forced into a life of crime," Berlusconi said in a television interview. "Secondly we need more local police constituting an 'army of good' in the piazzas and streets to come between Italian people and the army of evil," he said.
"Secondly we need more local police constituting an 'army of good' in the piazzas and streets to come between Italian people and the army of evil," he said.
