President Barack Obama heaped lavish praise on Italy's largely ceremonial president Wednesday, lauding his "integrity" and describing him as a "great leader."It might sound like the standard compliments a visitor might make after being hosted in the splendor of Renaissance-era Quirinal Palace. But in a country whose real leader, Premier Silvio Berlusconi, is under fire from a sex scandal, the words had a special ring.Even if Obama did not intend any snub of Berlusconi, the embattled premier has been under a barrage of attacks over his moral fitness to lead Italy and become a flashpoint for criticism of preparations for a summit of world leaders in earthquake-stricken L'Aquila.
President Barack Obama heaped lavish praise on Italy's largely ceremonial president Wednesday, lauding his "integrity" and describing him as a "great leader."
It might sound like the standard compliments a visitor might make after being hosted in the splendor of Renaissance-era Quirinal Palace. But in a country whose real leader, Premier Silvio Berlusconi, is under fire from a sex scandal, the words had a special ring.
Even if Obama did not intend any snub of Berlusconi, the embattled premier has been under a barrage of attacks over his moral fitness to lead Italy and become a flashpoint for criticism of preparations for a summit of world leaders in earthquake-stricken L'Aquila.
The U.S. no longer "needs" a lobotomized berlusconian Italy. ......Berlusconi must go. He's no longer useful. The world has other priorities. He's decrepit. Europe needs another Italy, certainly not this charade of sleazy racists and wannabe fascists.Italy is in dire need of a political earthquake.
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Berlusconi must go. He's no longer useful. The world has other priorities. He's decrepit. Europe needs another Italy, certainly not this charade of sleazy racists and wannabe fascists.
Italy is in dire need of a political earthquake.
A bit of Googling reveals Germany also has a President. Great Britain does not. Spain, I can't tell.
Wow. I feel like I just failed 5th grade. "Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.
Spain, I can't tell
In Italy, Napolitano is il Presidente della Repubblica and Berlisconi is il Presidente del Consiglio (Chairman of the Council [of ministers]).
See wikipedia: Head of state
Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the country's constitution and laws. In nation states the head of state is often thought of as the official "leader" of the nation.
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled Prime Minister, President of the Government, Premier, etc. In presidential republics or monarchies, the head of government may be the same person as the head of state, who is often called respectively a president or a monarch.
In afew's Villepin a cinder, Chirac toast? diary, a discussion developed on the arcane complexities of the French and other representative democracies. I thought, why not illustrate it all with silly little graphs. Jérôme likes graphs, so now I'll turn this a story - with new, slightly less silly graphs... Let the 'whose political system is best' debate begin...
Let the 'whose political system is best' debate begin...
Migeru, sometimes the more you talk, the more you confuse me. You can interpret that as a sign of my intellectual short-comings, but I thought you should know. In case you're under the impression that you're enlightening me. "Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.
