Women protest in Italy

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Sorry have not got much time to post but have just heard that on the news and was quite impressed by this protest From another article it appears that Berlusconi does not care much but I think it is a big step!

What do you think

Franca you know you have my vote . I was meant to go to the protests in Rome but ds was ill - quite a few of my friends went and they said it was fantastic. Was so great to see that side of Italian women shown. Thanks to the monopoly that man has over the TV it's a side we don't see enough of being publicised. Now if a date can be set to put on trial Berlusca's orange pimp Emilio Fede that would be nice!

Italians take to the streets quite often, we have a long history of demos, sit ins, rallies etc.
The slogan of this demo was: "Se non ora, quando?" (if not now, when?... not sure this is the best translation).
The demo wasn't organized by any political party, but it was largely inspired by L'Unità (former newspaper of the Communist party) and other left-wing newspapers. It was supported by left wing parties.
Lots of men there too!

Gio, you are back!

Hi Franca
My dp works for a left wing journal and has just called with a very excited office behind him hoping finally that the end may be in sight. I would like to share their optimism...
Agree with Franca, Italians are very protest orientated - there is a full scale manifestazione a week in Rome! Think what was very heartening was the variation of people who went to protest - whole generations of families turned out - of both sexes.

Franca, realistically, what are the chances that this time he'll be "caught"??? Was watching Ballaro last night where they were listing all the things he's been accused of, and got out of, and tbh, this just seems like yet another to add to the list that he's going to slime his way out of.
(I don't understand enough about the judiciary and the way a rito abbreviato will work etc????)

To update on the protests and taking to the streets....no-one is talking about doing so down here. There's a surprise. Not.

Bucharest, I have no idea. I am sure he (and Ghedini and co) will come up with something in the next few days. I am pretty sure he'll get away with this too ... but "la speranza é l'ultima a morire"...

I think there were demos also in some cities in southern Italy, no?
Personally, I have been to quite a good number of demos since I moved back to Italy.

Dittany:

it started off with an online petition launched by a left wing journalist called Concita de Gregorio, rejecting the media representation of women based on half naked starlets on TV and Berlusconi's prostitutes.
They then published 12 pages of signatures in the newspaper, it was signed by a lot of leading personalities, men and women, in all sectors.

Then there was a first demo in Rome a few weeks ago, which led to the national event being organised - an association has been set up, and various newspapers and tv news reports talked about how to get involved in the march. The fact that it was a Sunday afternoon meant that lots of families could get involved, and there was a really great atmosphere.
In Turin there were no official speakers or leaders of the protest, so it was quite amazing how the whole thing just coordinated itself. The meeting place and route for the march were publicised beforehand and the centre of Turin was at a total standstill for at least 4 hours.
I think more marches are planned for the future

vesuvia - Hmmm, not sure. I think in England the sort of street harassment I've heard is a lot more vulgar and graphic thank anything I've heard in Italy, and it seems that it's just done to scare/wind women up. In Italy I've only ever heard fairly tame things like 'ciao bella' and I think it just seems like annoying banter.

Re: Berlusca' I dunno, I really want him to go but he's been accused of so many crimes before and gotten away with them all that it just seems hard to believe that a prosecution's actually gunna stick :( Although having said that having sex with underage girls is a much worse accusation then the bog standard corruption stuff that's come before.

My fave bit of the whole saga is that the 3 judges in April are all going to be women!

Bucaneve - is it possible that you expect it in Italy and you know that it's socially acceptable there whereas here it's not and so it's more pointed iyswim?

Not thinking that the uk is so very great but when I've been to macho countries i've had a lot more hassle but known that it's partly cultural (not that that makes it ok) whereas here the men who do it know they're out of order but they don't care, which is more worrying.

Yes I think you might be right unrulysun about me seeing it as a much more normal part of life in Italy

I've always hated comments/or men deliberately staring at you in the street with what they think it's an irresistible wave of sex appeal. It really gets on my nerves.

I was pleased to see that the three judges are women too

Surely he has to go?

Franca and the other Italian posters, can you shed some light on how he's stayed in power for so long? I genuinely don't get it. I don't understand how he didn't get ousted years ago.

Oh, and I still don't entirely get what a "bunga bunga" party is

Some kind of orgy?

Rosa this is an interesting article although it only really looks at one reason why he is still in power. Just for starters I would add a useless and ineffectual opposition, the mani puliti corruption scandal in the early 90's meaning Italians were sick and tired of the old way leaving it ripe for Silvio the Saviour to come along and promise change and organised crime links (look at the number of votes he has always had in Sicily-way out of proportion to the rest of the country).
Bunga Bunga parties are orgies full of prostitutes provided by his ex dental hygienist, a showbiz agent and the vile TV newsman Emilio Fede or nice little get togethers where Silvio sings French songs, they all eat lovely food, tell stories and joke around then go home depending on who you believe. Bunga bunga is supposed to relate to a sex act.

Very useful Banana. Thank you.

Interesting thread. I saw the protests on the news and thought it was great.

We have an Italian friend who thinks that Berlusconi is great, it is a great mystery to us as he (friend) is a nice guy.

Berlusconi is the original Teflon Don, though. Be interesting to see if they can make the charges stick.

I totally agree with Gio's analysis.

I'd also like to add that the problem is that most Italians are conservatories. And Berlusconi has captured and reflected perfectly the spirit, the mores, the values of a certain part of the Italian population.

I've done it already on another thread, but to those of you willing to expand their knowledge of Italian politics and history, I recommend the books of Paul Ginsborg, who is a British historian, who's been working and living in Italy for more than 20 yrs.
You can also get hold of Nanni Moretti's movie Aprile (which I am sure you can get with english subtitles).