Berlusconi Defeated: Thanks to Italian-Canadians

international | racism & migration related issues | other press

Saturday April 15, 2006 20:50

by redjade

'The votes of 40,000 Canadian citizens who qualify as "Italians abroad,"....'

The votes of 40,000 Canadian citizens who qualify as "Italians abroad," some of whom have never set foot in Italy and many of whom don't speak Italian, played a pivotal role in the defeat of billionaire Silvio Berlusconi in Italy's election yesterday, according to poll results released late last night.

For the first time in history, a country's political fate appears to have been determined by citizens of other countries, after Mr. Berlusconi introduced a scheme in 2002 that defines eligible Italian voters by blood lines rather than residency.

As it became apparent yesterday that he had been defeated by this system, which provides 12 deputies and six senators to represent Italians on foreign soil, the Prime Minister and media magnate reacted with outrage.

read the rest at....
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.200604...ry/TP

save preference

Comments (3 of 3)

they are, were and continue to be Italian citizens JD which is why they have the right to vote.

by iosaf

Sun Apr 16, 2006 14:04

If they had adopted Canadian citizenship, they would have lost the right to vote.

Ireland is the only state in the "developed world" and the only member of the Europen Union which disenfranchises her citizens the moment they leave permenant residence in the state. This condemns them to a term of between 2 and 6 years whilst their residency in another state qualifies them for electoral and franchise rights in general, national, local, regional and municipal elections.

I have consistently asked that Irish citizens in Europe at least be allowed to vote in either the constituency of their birth or last residence. & no-one takes it seriously.
The last time I posted an article about it, in the comments many people said "oh no the the diasporia would vote in FF" yet in the Italian election this last month, and the Galician regional election, diasporia voters were after recounts found to be the last wee votes that said "bye bye ciao! adios!" to such monoliths of entrenched power as Silvio Berlusconi and Manuel Fraga.

By the way, most of the Dublin diasporia in Europe were born in the constituencies of Ahern and the front bench of the FF. Why does no-one want their votes counted?

Unintended consequences

by paul - .

Sun Apr 16, 2006 12:57

Outside of the brilliant news that Berlusconi is out of power and can be brought to account for very iffy dealings, I love the irony that it was foreigners who tilted the balance of power. B. obviously thought that his mates in mafia would deliver the overseas vote as they did the sicilian vote years ago.

Also the adherence to how one qualified to vote was through the bloodline and weirdly not through both parents (my understanding anyway) but through the male line which of course is not an absolute guarantee of a "pure" bloodline. Delicious

Sun Apr 16, 2006 12:55

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

Anti-Empire

The Saker

Public Inquiry

Voltaire Network

Berlusconi Defeated: Thanks to Italian-Canadians

Comments (3 of 3)