As we are not Italian we don't have the vote. But, anyone got any views on the election?

Personally i find it hard to think that anyone would vote for someone like Berlusconi. Just looking at the kind of laws he's past while in office that often were to get him and his croonies of the hook. For instance false accountancy.
Its plainly obvious he's completely corrupt!

For anyone wishing to find out more on the corrupt Berlusconi:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...8/apr/12/italy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/13/italy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/12/italy

To not have a one sided view:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.../witaly311.xml

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1010108.ece

The Daily Mail had nothing on the election which is hardly surprising.

Yellowdog

Unfortunately it's about choosing the best of the worst. I think they are pretty much all corrupt and the ones that aren't don't do much for Italy, unless we're talk about their family and friends. There is a complete lack of accountability for anything. You only have to look at the rubbish situation no one has lost their job or resigned over the matter. My prediction is that Berlusconi will swing it (yet again) and then we'll see how long it lasts this time! Blah blah blah nothing will ever change there

60 leaders in 60 years.
Lowest economic growth in Europe.
Lowest wages in Europe.
Either a crook or an ex-communist to choose between.
Am I right in thinking people care more about looking good and the quality of their coffee?

I think its very sad the attitude of the Italians that they feel that the candidates are all the same. However true it may be. And reflects very bad on the state of affairs.
The political process is not a very involving one for the average joe. Walking around Genova I've seen posters saying such and such will be here in piazza whatever but I've never had anyone or know of anyone thats been stopped in the street by any candidate to ask them how they will vote. It just doesn't happen here. In my local piazza there has been the odd party giving out meaningless leaflets promising things that they will never get to do or have any intention of doing. Its a world away from the uk.
My father was a local politician for many years and I remember as a boy many a weekend spent delivering leaflets to houses and later as a adult following him around as he spoke to whoever would listen.

One of the problems is it seems most are all doing it for the money, the pension, the perks. I get the impression that no-one does it for the good of the country.

The national debts costs each person €1200 a year in tax. So its hard to see how anyone can embark on lavish spending sprees. I thought Prodi was going the right way.
More checks by the Inland Revenue which had brought in lots more money to the treasury while trying to bring in more competition. Unfortunately the collation was very fragile. Brought down by Mastella leader of the UDEUR, a typical example of everything that is wrong here. Mastella changes allegiances every time there is an election just so long as he gets in power. Read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clemente_Mastella
The problems in Italy will only be fixed by a long term programme of reform and change, something which has been impossible in the second republic due to need to form collations. Electoral reform is the first thing that needs to be addressed by any new government. After the fall of Prodi's collation there was an interest to try and reform the electoral rules before going to the polls but mr Berlusconi refused to do so as he knew he was ahead in the polls. Even though it is clear to see that it would have been in Italy's interest.

It's no surprise that they are disillusioned, they get stitched up who ever wins and so to some extent they are resigned to the fact that corruption, nepotism, etc...just goes on as they always have done. I also think it's sad but it's part of what makes Italy Italy.

You summed Italy up in 5 sentences. Good post!

Even after being here for over 15 years I still find most of Italian politics totally baffling - but I have to say that I laughed and laughed two weeks ago when I was stopped by Lega Nord people at my local village market. They had set up a little stand and were offering cake and wine to all the locals .... yes - glasses of wine! They stopped me and I simply said -
"sorry, being a British citizen I don't vote here but I do find it highly amusing that you have to get people drunk to vote for you !"
The look on their faces was priceless - especially as they were put down by a foreigner and one of their policies is to divide the North from the rest of Italy and 'clean' it of all foreigners.
I'm laughing again now just thinking of it. There's nothing like good old British humour and sarcasm to put down an egotistical Italian !!!!

Looking at the results this morning the only thing I can say is that they deserve all they get. The mix of fascists, racists and corrupt politicians is not going to help in the bad times ahead that are sure to come with the world economic downturn.