Whatever I may have thought over the years of the British political system,it pales into insignificance this week with the mounting hysteria and chase for votes for the vote of confidence next Tuesday. How can members of the morally upright IDV return to the Berlusconi fold? People who left the PDL earlier this year now abandon Fini and meekly go back under Berlusconis wing. First of all there is the bribery. Berlusconi and the PDL are offering consultancy contracts of up to 5 years to the key fence sitters in this game – at 100.000 euros per year – not a bad job and it will only take a little hypocrisy to secure it. The magistrates are now investigating – even the Famiglia Cristiana has denounced the practise. The putrid Santachè, a fervent Berlusconi loyalist, who screeches at opponents while managing to say nothing, is orgasmic with joy that the numbers are now uncertain for the vote. A week ago it was certain that Berlusconi would fail. The vote of confidence on 14th – not unsurprisingly a diary clash with a court appearance that has now been retimetabled – due to Berlusconic legitimate impediment, – of course has come to early. There are a myriad of MPs who worry about their bank balances. For all the new entrants into parliament at the last election, the timing is key, for this vote of confidence comes a mere 2 years and some months into the government.The pensions trough in parliament is deep and well filled. Once you have been an MP for three years you get a pension for life of 8000 euros a month. If you are lucky enough to become an MP in your twenties you can retire at 30. Not bad going. And for what? For standing as a witness to the destruction of one of most unstable democracies in the western world. It’s no wonder that parliamentarians are prepared to be hypocrites for the sake of one measly vote of confidence. The shame is how much is democracy worth in Italy – and the answer comes, it’s worth what you can get for it.
