Berlusconi calls for sobriety

Rome, Nov 24 (IANS/AKI) Italy’s embattled Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi Tuesday called for “sobriety” and urged politicians to show “a sense of responsibility”. The flamboyant premier has recently been embroiled in a new series of sex scandals and has seen his popularity slump.

Berlusconi’s government faces a confidence vote in December following the defection a key former ally.

“As far as internal questions go regarding the People of Freedom (party), I plan to tackle these very soon, and with my habitual ability to take into account various people’s opinions,” Berlusconi said.

“Meanwhile, I invite everyone to show a sense of responsibility and sobriety, out of respect for our activists and voters,” said the 74–year-old premier.

Berlusconi’s government faces a confidence vote in the lower and upper houses of the Italian parliament next month.

The Berlusconi government has been edging ever-closer to collapse since his key former ally, Italian lower house of parliament speaker Gianfranco Fini broke away from the 74-year-old prime minister in July and deprived him of a safe majority.

Several fresh sex scandals have hit Berlusconi this autumn involving a prostitute and a teenage nightclub dancer who says she attended after-dinner sex games at his villa in Arcore, near Milan. The septuagenarian was earlier linked to a teenage underwear model and another prostitute.

He has decried what he calls “indecent attacks” against him.

The government has come under mounting pressure over Italy’s ailing economy and controversial legislation critics say is aimed at saving Berlusconi from prosecution for corruption and tax fraud.

–IANS/AKI