Rome
Italy’s election campaign officially kicked off this week with characteristic swagger from incumbent Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. In one campaign speech, Berlusconi announced that he has already accomplished more than any European save Napoleon, but then the next day he went even further. “About Napoleon, I was obviously joking,” Berlusconi said. “I am the Jesus Christ of politics, a patient victim. I put up with everything; I sacrifice myself for everyone.” The bravado has had little effect so far. Romano Prodi, a former prime minister who heads the center-left opposition, has a solid lead over Berlusconi. The election is scheduled for April.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Home Depots are the new epicenters of ICE raidsIn the Spotlight The chain has not provided many comments on the ongoing raids
-
Why does Trump keep interfering in the NYC mayoral race?Today's Big Question The president has seemingly taken an outsized interest in his hometown elections, but are his efforts to block Zohran Mamdani about political expediency or something deeper?
-
The pros and cons of banning cellphones in classroomsPros and cons The devices could be major distractions
