ITALY: Hundreds of people gather outside the home of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to show their support ahead of a Senate vote expected to see the media mogul stripped of his seat in parliament
Record ID:
214109
ITALY: Hundreds of people gather outside the home of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to show their support ahead of a Senate vote expected to see the media mogul stripped of his seat in parliament
- Title: ITALY: Hundreds of people gather outside the home of former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to show their support ahead of a Senate vote expected to see the media mogul stripped of his seat in parliament
- Date: 27th November 2013
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (NOVEMBER 27, 2013) (REUTERS) STREET CLOSED FOR FORZA ITALIA RALLY HUNDREDS GATHERED HOLDING FLAGS AND BANNERS OUTSIDE SILVIO BERLUSCONI'S RESIDENCE BANNERS WITH PHOTOS OF BERLUSCONI AND BANNER READING (Italian): "GO SILVIO!" FORZA ITALIA FLAG BEING WAVED DEMONSTRATORS HOLDING UP BANNER READING (Italian): "THE DICTATORSHIP IS GOING AHEAD. WE CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE TAXES - SILVIO SAVE US." HUNDREDS GATHERING FOR RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) BERLUSCONI SUPPORTER, GINA, SAYING: "It is disgusting, what they have done. You can just see how the left-wing operate, it is just terrible. How can you kick a person out after 20 years?" VARIOUS OF MAN HOLDING FLOWERS PRETENDING TO CRY AND WIPING HIS EYES VARIOUS OF STAGE WHERE BERLUSCONI DUE TO SPEAK (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) BERLUSCONI SUPPORTER, FERDINANDO PICCOLO, SAYING: "They need to be expelled not Berlusconi, the left-wing. Up until now, they have done nothing good. When Berlusconi was in power there were jobs, there was everything, now there isn't anything left." SUPPORTERS AT RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) PRO-BERLUSCONI PARLIAMENTARIAN, DANIELA SANTANCHE, SAYING: "It's the end of democracy, the end of liberty and we are fighting for all Italians. It is a coup d'etat." 5-STAR POLITICIAN MICHELE GIARUSSO ON TELEPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) 5-STAR POLITICIAN, MICHELE GIARUSSO, SAYING: "Now our country can start to become a normal country where everyone is equal under the law and not where one person thinks they should be above the law." CROWDS WAVING FLAGS IN FRONT OF STAGE
- Embargoed: 12th December 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA2K1STS7XGHIHBQP6OCBA8CYID
- Story Text: Hundreds of people gathered outside the Rome residence of Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday (November 27) to show their support for the media mogul who could soon be expelled from parliament.
The Italian Senate opened its debate on the former prime minister earlier in the day, ahead of a vote that is expected to see the veteran centre-right leader stripped of his seat in parliament over a tax fraud conviction.
The vote, after months of political wrangling, will open an uncertain new phase in Italian politics with the 77-year-old media billionaire preparing to use his extensive resources to attack Prime Minister Enrico Letta's coalition government.
Members of Berlusconi's Forza Italia party waited in freezing temperatures to see their leader, who is expected to address them at roughly the same time as the vote takes place.
Waving Forza Italia flags and placards, supporters crammed into the central Rome street.
Organisers said they expected hundreds more to arrive to hear Berlusconi speak.
"It is disgusting, what they have done. You can just see how the left-wing operate, it is just terrible. How can you kick a person out after 20 years?" said Berlusconi supporter Gina.
"They need to be expelled not Berlusconi, the left-wing. Up until now, they have done nothing good. When Berlusconi was in power there were jobs, there was everything, now there isn't anything left," said supporter Ferdinando Piccolo.
Pro-Berlusconi parliamentarians said the likely expulsion of the former prime minister was akin to a coup d'etat.
"It's the end of democracy, the end of liberty and we are fighting for all Italians," said parliamentarian Daniela Santanche.
Opposing politicians see the vote as justice finally being delivered.
"Now our country can start to become a normal country where everyone is equal under the law and not where one person thinks they should be above the law," said Michele Giarusso, a parliamentarian with the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement.
The vote is expected to start at 1600gmt. Berlusconi appears to have decided not to participate in proceedings inside the Senate. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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