Berlusconi Immunity Overturned By Italian Court: Reactions And Analysis
It has emerged that Silvio Berlusconi may face criminal charges after Italy's constitutional court threw out a law which gave him immunity from prosecution.
According to the BBC, Mr Berlusconi and his lawyers had argued that he needed the immunity law to carry out his duties as prime minister.
As the Guardian wrote:
Berlusconi has for years been claiming he is the victim of a plot by leftwing judges and prosecutors. His followers argued the immunity bill was needed to protect him. Before today's ruling, some had been counseling a snap election to strengthen his position.
The fallout from the decision remains to be seen. According to the BBC, there was speculation in Rome that at least two court cases against Berlusconi could be resumed.
Reuters reported that experts felt the law may hinder Italy's economic recovery:
Analysts said the Constitutional Court's decision was bound to weaken 73-year-old Berlusconi and make reforms less likely as the third largest economy in the euro zone struggles to recover from its deepest recession since World War Two.
"Italy is in bad need of reforms to get the economy going and this makes those reforms even less likely because Berlusconi will be less inclined or able to focus on any reform effort," said Tito Boeri, an economist at Milan's Bocconi University
At The Times of London it was reported that there appeared to be four likely outcomes:
- Mr Berlusconi carries on regardless.
- He resigns as Prime Minister and calls elections.
- There is an internal coup against him.
- Mr Berlusconi bows out.
As The Times notes, the first of these seems unlikely, and the rest seem rather undesirable for Berlusconi.
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First Posted: 10- 7-09 12:34 PM | Updated: 10- 7-09 03:16 PM