Funeral

What do you do when you suddenly find yourself in a tight spot? When the walls start crumbling, friends turn out to be foes and any minute may be your last? Some curl up in a ball and hope the storm will pass. Others prefer to face their opponent and go down fighting. Still others can't decide on a single strategy, lose control of the situation and eventually trip over their own feet.

Lately, Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi seems to fall into the latter category. In a surprising turn of events his party, the right-wing Popolo della Libertà, suffered a crushing defeat in last month's local elections. Things were looking bleak after the first round of voting on 15 and 16 May, but looking at the results of the recent runoffs even the most ardent of his supporters must admit that Berlusconi's political life is in danger. Overnight, a string of towns and cities across Italy changed colour. Painful, of course, but what really hurts is the loss of Milan, Berlusconi's hometown. After two decades of centre-right dominance, incumbent mayor and Berlusconi protégée Letizia Moratti suffered a 55-45 percent defeat against local left-wing lawyer Giuliano Pisapia.

Berlusconi, conveniently out of the country when the votes had been counted, responded by saying that he was 'too busy to go to his own funeral'. Cracking joke, in my opinion, but 'one in which defeat is tacitly admitted,' as one commenter pointed out. Perhaps he realised this himself, for then he went on to say that the main thing is to remain calm and move forwards. 'Every time I suffer a setback, I triple my forces.'

In Berlusconi's world that might well entail a further expansion of his broadcasting empire—the source not only of his personal fortune but also of his political success. Without batting an eyelid, Berlusconi blamed the press for the major blow his party had suffered, ignoring the fact that it's the prime minister himself who owns the bulk of the national TV channels. There had been what he called a campaign of press disinformation against the government. 'Many moderate electors, disgusted by the spectacle of this kind of policy, decided not to vote,' he said. 'There is real disinformation and it's always against us.'

The final KO might follow this Sunday and Monday, with the much-anticipated referendum on nuclear power, water privatisation and the question whether ministers can plead that official duties constitute a legal impediment to their appearing in criminal trials. Given the fact that the prime minister faces various corruption trials and still has to deal with the ever-expanding aftermath of the Ruby Rubacuori affair, the fate of Il Cavaliere (The Knight) is directly linked with the result of this referendum. The opposition is out for blood, hordes of youngsters in cities such as Milan are preparing for another celebration.

It remains to be seen what will happen, but whatever the outcome of the referendum I think the biggest gain for Italy is that the Italians suddenly seem to realise that their vote can make a difference. A surprising step for a country that has gone through the stages of frustration, anger and indifference. There is something in the air here, and I'm not sure Il Cavaliere likes the smell of it.