Silvio Berlusconi gives his best when he’s pissed off. He shows his grim face, his eyes point the target, words are rough, the joke is salacious and naughty, offence is gratuitous. Let’s start with the Napolitano case. As soon as Berlusconi knew that the law did not pass, he immediately protested and referring to Napolitano he said he felt as if he had been made fun of. No one understood his moment. Then the Prime Minister explained: Napolitano promised to safeguard the bill at the Constitutional Court.

How? Using his “well-known” influence on the leftist judges. It is an unacceptable thing that leaves us dumbfounded. Such behaviour reveals an Italian habit, i.e. to “adjust” and negotiate everything, even the justice system. Let’s pass to the second episode. The prime Minister, who was one of the hosts of the TV programme Porta a Porta, addresses one of the other hosts, Rosy Bindi, who was talking about the Alfano bill, in the following way: “I’m noticing that you are more beautiful than intelligent”, said Berlusconi.

The Prime Minister mocks the vice president of the lower chamber, who is not a beautiful, but a competent and serious person, giving her as a present idiocy strictly linked to physical appearance. Does the fact that the four beautiful ladies part of the government never object – unlike Rosy Bindi – make acceptable their beauty even if they do not have other qualities? The person who rules a countries should show respect – in thick and thin – towards his neighbour and put on the same level men and women, attractive and less attractive women, majority and opposition MPs, judges and journalists, on his side or not.

Translated by Chiara Nunnari from John Milton Institute