Italiafile – for italophiles.

Local elections yesterday and the PDL – Berlusconis party took less than 10% of the vote in many communes.  He announced (from Russia – he’s gone to see his mate Putin sworn in), that ‘I thought it would be worse’.   How phlegmatic.  Behind the scenes however, all is not rosy.  The lizard Alfano is…

Let us not forget dear democratic brethren, that in 1993 Italy voted overwhelmingly in a referendum, to stop public financing of political parties.  THis was nearly 20 years ago, and governments of all shade and colors have ignored the binding result.  So much so, that Mr Lusi (a large bearded fleshy Michael WInner type) has…

Today is the day of reckoning for Mr B in the Mills case – the one where Mills has already been found guilty in the UK, and which is still creaking on here in Italy.  Berlusconi has been bleating his innocence over the last few days, claiming that the case should be by now in…

So we’ve had Monti for 100 days, or not had Berlo for 101.  Monti has written a report on what he’s done in his first 100 days – and it seems he has reduced spending by Palazzo Chigi (the PM’s office) by 43 million euros.  The main reason for this is that flights on the…

The big attraction this year is the presence of Celentano – an exactor/singer now ‘personality/genius’ whom the Italians adore.  He has a record to promote, (a record which were it not by Celentano wouldnt even make the playlist on a local radio station), and so he has agreed to show up at San Remo for…

I know its been quiet, but with Berlo gone my inspiration dried up.  But today, with the announcement that Sarkozy is going to run for a second term, my bile rises anew.   Of course in the foreign press all the scandal surrounding San Remo isnt mentioned. For those of you with better things to…

2012 the year of Monti and the resurgence of Italy.  Here’s the news: a stenographer in parliament earns more than the King of SPain. THe Guardia di FInanza went to Cortina – uberchic ski resort of the Italian wealthy and ruined their New YEar.   On the day of the Finanza checks bars, restaurants, and…

It was 20 degrees centigrade  here yesterday.  The law says that I must have snow chains in my car if I want to from modica to Ragusa between 15 Dec and 15 March.   If I dont, I get fined.   Draw your own conclusions.

The papers are talking about it, due to 150.000 likes on Facebook for a page which wants the Vatican to pay ICI.  Finally it seems that the Church may be constrained to act as a mere mortal with regard to taxes.  Mention it on telly and you get the biggest round of applause of the…

Remember that strange day back in  the last century when the Tories, having turned on the charismatic (and barking) Mrs T, elected the grey man Major to lead them into their decline and fall.  Watching Mr Toad slowly descend into the tenebre and the grey image of Angelino Alfano take his place brought it all…