Word: prodis
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...medieval knight. The Justice Minister's honor - and particularly that of his wife, a local politician - had been sullied, he fumed, when a magistrate near their hometown east of Naples leveled influence-peddling charges at both of them. And thus this key centrist ally of Prime Minister Romano Prodi announced that he, "with great courage," was withdrawing his party's support for the fragile majority, opening the door to a government crisis. "Che coraggio!?" an Italian might say with an apt double meaning: "What courage?" and "What gall!" Just 24 hours later, Mastella was already being publicly courted by Silvio...
...Prodi himself gave what might seem a bold speech to Parliament, seeking a vote of confidence after Mastella's exit. Chiding those fellow legislators who might have been planning an "opaque," backroom resolution to the crisis, he stated: "It is right that all comes to light in this place, in the halls of Parliament, the fundamental seat of democracy." But after his own closed-door coddling of allies in the government's 10-party coalition, he couldn't play even that card with much conviction. Twenty months of constant internal bickering, and a half-dozen near or real crises, have...
...However the current drama shakes out, the long-term prospects for Italy's political life appear bleak. Since eking out a win in April 2006 over controversial media mogul Berlusconi, Prodi's reign atop a fractious nine-party coalition has been an example of Italy's endemic political paralysis. Prodi has been busy trying to fend off - and recover from - a half-dozen near-crises since taking office 20 months ago, rather than focus on much-needed reforms to the pension and justice systems. Meanwhile, state air carrier Alitalia bleeds money, and its hoped-for merger with Air France...
...Justice Minister Clemente Mastella and his wife, who is a local politician in the Southern region of Campania. The minister resigned his cabinet post amid dramatic declarations of his love for his wife and family. After a weekend of back-door maneuvering (and reports that he wouldn't take Prodi's calls), Mastella announced his definitive "basta!", saying his party, tiny but crucial, would no longer support the government...
...characteristically proud and pedantic speech before Parliament on Tuesday, Prodi challenged his fellow politicians to vote him out publicly rather than cut deals behind closed doors. After the speech, Berlusconi ally Gianfranco Fini saw the speech as evidence that the battered Prime Minister was already starting to dust off his suit. "Prodi opened his [next] electoral campaign today," he said. This time, however, there may be no race left...