Contrappunti Rivista di approfondimento culturale
Berlusconi’s ‘testicle’ insult overshadows poll debate
On Monday he called his opponent Romano Prodi "a useful idiot" in the service of his coalition’s former Communists; yesterday the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi went further, telling a shopkeepers’ association that those who voted for the left were coglioni, literally "testicles" but usually intended to mean idiots or cretins.
Elecciones en Italia
Berlusconi recurre al insulto para ganar terreno en el tramo final de la campaña
El primer ministro italiano llama "gilipollas" a los votantes del centro-izquierda.
Silvio Berlusconi esperó hasta el último minuto del debate televisivo del lunes para sacar de la chistera un conejo gigantesco, del que no había ni rastro en su programa electoral: la abolición del impuesto sobre la vivienda. Ayer hizo que la campaña enloqueciera un poco más al calificar de "coglioni", término traducible como "gilipollas", a los votantes del centro-izquierda. Il Cavaliere parecía estar contra las cuerdas, luchando de forma casi desesperada y abriéndose paso a golpes de populismo y demagogia hacia una victoria cada vez más difícil. El insulto suscitó la indignación del centro-izquierda.
Il Cavaliere, ante un auditorio de comerciantes berlusconianos, pronunció la frase del día: "Tengo demasiada estima por la inteligencia de los italianos como para pensar que haya por ahí tantos gilipollas que puedan votar contra sus propios intereses", dijo, en referencia a los votantes del centro-izquierda. Y agregó: "Perdonen mi lenguaje, tosco pero eficaz". ¿Cuál era el objetivo de ese exabrupto? A estas alturas, nada de lo que dice Berlusconi es espontáneo. Posiblemente aspiraba a monopolizar de nuevo todos los titulares, relegando al "cura de pueblo", como llama a Prodi cuando no le llama "tonto útil", a las páginas interiores.
Los mensajes de Berlusconi se dirigen, a pocos días de las elecciones, hacia quienes son o fueron simpatizantes de Forza Italia. Aspira a movilizar a los suyos (afligidos por la tentación abstencionista) y a que su partido obtenga un buen resultado, lo cual podría servirle para obtener una victoria contra pronóstico o, cosa más probable, para mantenerse en caso de derrota como indiscutible jefe de la oposición. Alterna la zanahoria para su electorado (la abolición del impuesto sobre el inmueble de residencia), el palo a la oposición ("esa gente da miedo", "quien vota a la izquierda elige ser pobre") y el grito extemporáneo para que nadie olvide que sigue ahí.
LA TRIBUNE
Berlusconi traite les électeurs de gauche de "couillons"
A quelques jours des élections législatives italiennes des 9-10 avril, Silvio Berlusconi a franchi mardi une nouvelle étape dans l’outrance, en traitant les électeurs de gauche de "couillons", provoquant l’indignation de l’opposition.Le président sortant du Conseil s’exprimait devant une association de commerçants. Voulant se montrer sûr de sa victoire alors que les derniers sondages le placent dans une situation délicate face à son adversaire de gauche Romano Prodi, Silvio Berlusconi a lancé à son auditoire: "Vous savez pourquoi j’en suis sûr? Parce que j’ai trop de respect pour l’intelligence des Italiens pour croire qu’il y ait tant de couillons (‘coglioni’) pour voter contre leurs propres intérêts"."Pardon pour ce langage rude, mais parlant", a ajouté le chef du gouvernement sortant.Cette remarque injurieuse est venue ajouter un peu plus de tension dans une campagne électorale déjà âpre, au lendemain d’un débat télévisé animé et parfois houleux entre les deux principaux candidats."Je sais que les déclarations du président du Conseil ont déclenché une indignation justifiée parmi nos électeurs et nos sympathisants", a réagi Romano Prodi dans un communiqué, tout en appelant ses partisans à rester "calmes, corrects et pacifiques".Lors d’un meeting à Rome, M. Prodi a ajouté que, pour sa part, il n’aurait jamais "osé utiliser des épithètes anatomiques" contre les électeurs de Forza Italia, le parti conservateur de M. Berlusconi.Dans un autre communiqué, l’opposition de centre-gauche a estimé que "Berlusconi confirme ainsi qu’il est un homme vulgaire et grossier".Quant à Antonio Di Pietro, un ancien procureur anti-corruption devenu député d’opposition, il a lancé: "Plutôt ‘couillons’ que Berlusconi!" APsop/793
Berlusconi accused of hitting new low after ‘dickheads’ jibe
Silvio Berlusconi was accused yesterday of dragging Italy’s already raucous general election campaign into the gutter when he declared that those who voted against him would be "dickheads".
Speaking to journalists about the expected outcome of the election next Sunday and Monday, the Prime Minister said: "I have too much respect for the Italians to think there are that many dickheads around who’d vote against their own interests."
The centre-left opposition reacted with condemnation. "Berlusconi has confirmed himself to be an uncouth and vulgar man," the opposition bloc said in a statement. "By using these ignoble and violent words, Berlusconi has thrown off the mask and shown himself for what he is: a person who uses the media like a thug and who lacks any respect for democracy, for institutions and for Italians."
The latest of many outrageous remarks during the campaign came the day after he promised to wipe out council taxes for first homes, during a bitterly contested television duel with his rival, Romano Prodi. Mr Berlusconi also undertook to slash a levy on current account interest and, in a bid for female voters, promised to put more women in his next government, including a woman deputy Prime Minister.
Alessandra Mussolini, who is running for parliament in Mr Berlusconi’s alliance, claimed yesterday that she would be given the post.
The most recent polls found the right was trailing by up to five percentage points and suggested some 24% of Italian voters were still "don’t knows".
But Renato Mannheimer, a leading pollster, said: "There are actually very few people who are undecided about who to vote for. The issue is whether they vote or not."
He said Mr Berlusconi was seeking to mobilise those who, if they could be persuaded to cast their vote, would cast it for him. "And with this sort of remark he could perhaps manage it," he said.
Alberto Mancinelli, a lecturer in communications at Trento School of Management, said he believed Mr Berlusconi’s language – the key word was "coglioni", which literally translates as "testicles" – might rebound on him. "It is so strong he could lose points as a result," Dr Mancinelli said.
Mr Berlusconi’s outrageous comments during the campaign have ensured he remains the centre of attention. This week, a Milan newspaper reported that he had told a party meeting about a straw poll of sex chat lines he had conducted during a sleepless night. "Seven out of nine of the young ladies who answered acknowledged they preferred me [to Mr Prodi]," he was quoted as telling his followers.
Earlier in the campaign, he compared himself to Napoleon and then to Jesus.
He later walked out of a TV interview when the questioning became too insistent.
The opposition yesterday brought concentrated fire to bear on Mr Berlusconi’s council tax pledge. Antonio Di Pietro, a former anti-corruption prosecutor and centre-left politician, said the prime minister was "desperately trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat".
Mr Berlusconi dismissed opposition attacks, saying the €2.3bn (£1.6bn) the tax brought in was "small change". He added: "We can easily find other sources of revenue [to cover the shortfall]."
There appeared to be little chance the tone of the campaign would improve in the final straight. As he was leaving yesterday’s event, a man shouted at him: "You’ve been telling us fairy tales for five years now. Nobody believes you any longer." Mr Berlusconi shot back: "I’m bright, whereas you, with that face…" The rest of his reply was lost as he entered his limousine.
