On Saturday November 12 at 9.42 pm CET Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has officially resigned.

His resignation arrived just few hours after the Italian parliament’s lower house passed an austerity measures package demanded by European Union and ECB in order to restore confidence in Italy’s economy and face the country’s heavy debt crisis.

Over 17 years, Berlusconi has always been the main character of the political scene in Italy, he was elected four times as prime minister – in 1994, 2001, 2005, and 2008 – and survived to more than 20 trials and accusations, several votes of confidence, sex scandals and conflict of interest.

After failing to win a parliamentary majority on a budget vote four days ago – for the first time since his election in 2008 – , he announced he would have left office right after the passage of the austerity package demanded by EU.

While the political events were getting hotter day by day, the economic crisis of the country kept on worsening especially because of the strong financial speculation of the markets.

Hence, in such a difficult and hard situation Berlusconi seemed to have no choice and had to surrender and eventually step down.

The news of his future resignation was welcomed by all the opposition parties, one part of his government coalition and a large portion of economics and politics experts and specialists.

Today after the austerity package was approved by the parliament lower chamber with 380 votes and the Republic President signed the legislation in the afternoon, the crucial moment arrived.

The official meeting to hand in his resignation to Republic President Giorgio Napolitano was set for 8.30 pm CET but Berlusconi arrived notably late.

Many people gathered in Rome, out of the presidential palace, to witness the last minutes of Berlusconi as prime minister and celebrate his resignation. At his arrival at the crowds started shouting “Buffoon!”, “Shame!”, and “Get out!”.

For about 40 minutes all the country waited for the official news. Journalists from all around the world were there and the attention of the media was totally drawn on this extraordinary event. November 12 was called the “freedom day” by the crowds gathered in Rome as by many people on social network sites happy to see him leaving the scene.

When the news of Berlusconi resignation broke at 9.42 pm CET, the crowds erupted in cheers, waving Italian and European flags, singing, dancing, jumping for joy. Resistance period songs were struck, bottle of champagne open to toast, and also the Handel’s Hallelujah was performed by chorus of professional and non-professional singers and classical musicians.

Silvio Berlusconi stated he won’t run for next elections but he will keep on contributing and collaborating with his political party. He also wants to participate in the new transition government foundation putting members of his party as candidates.

The new government, which will be led by Mario Monti former European commissioner, will be probably made up of technocrats and economics experts who will have to deal with the heavy economic crisis and the huge debt of the country. Tomorrow Sunday 13, Republic President Giorgio Napolitano will announce the complete government coalition.

The resignation of Berlusconi is seen as the end of an era and a new start for Italy and its political scene but the scenario is still unclear and confused. Next weeks and months will tell us what will be the future of a country that is on the brink of precipice.

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/andresubierna/6241870752/

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From America to Asia, from Africa to Europe, all around the world we hear stories about ministers and politicians’ resignation.

Last recent case in Europe occurred in Germany where the Defense Minister, Karl-Theodor Zu Guttenberg, has resigned in consequence of a plagiarism scandal. After it was revealed that he copied word for word from internet the half of the pages of his university doctorate thesis in 2006, he couldn’t stand the pressure therefore admitted his “mistake” and did the right thing: quitting his job.

But he is not the only one. On the other side of the world, in Japan 2,180 euros were sufficient to make resign the Foreign Minister Saiji Maehara. The revelation of receiving in 2005 an illegal donation from a South Korean woman resident of Japan cost him his office. Admitting the fact he officially apologized to electors, bowing in front of them and in front of the Japan’s flag,and he resigned.

Back to Europe. The French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie has resigned after the strong criticism on the initial offer of help for putting down the uprising and the following Christmas holiday she spent in Tunisia guest of the former President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, right during the rebellion.

In Africa recently was the Culture and Sport Minister of Rwanda, Joseph Habineza, who resigned. In this case the cause was a photo scandal. Some photos taken on St. Valentine’s Day in 2008, showing the minister and a couple off women in intimate poses, were published on a website. “When you see people publishing pictures and all that, it is not good for your image as a minister,” he said.

In the United States was a shirtless photo which made the married Republican congressman Chris Lee resign. He took this photo and sent it to a woman met online. This virtual flirtation – in perfect teenagers’ style – in a country as US has led to resignation.

If we look back at the very last years we can remember also the resignation of Eliot Spitzer, the New York Governor, in 2008. His involvement with a sex scandal – because he was found with some prostitutes – was the reason. Official admission of guilt and apology to his family and to the public for him too.

In 2009 in the United Kingdom the revelations over the expenses claims led the Britain’s first female home secretary Jacqui Smith to resign. Also two pornographic films watched by her husband on the pay per view TV were claimed – “inadvertently” she said -.

And then the Australian Ports Minister Paul McLeay resignation from cabinet in 2010 after the spreading of the news about his usual surfing on porn and online gaming sites.

So how about Italy and its funny Prime Minister? Silvio Berlusconi’s trials started at the end of February. Totally will be four, some old some new. He is charged with judicial corruption, illegal financing of political parties, false accounting, extortion, abuse of power and prostitution of minors than eighteen – the Rubygate affair -. The consequences?

The Italian Premier doesn’t resign but continues to accuse his political opponents and the magistrates of conspiracy against him. He finds all the possible ways not to go to the hearings, he is also trying to reform the justice system in order to get out of troubles.

Italians?Almost the half of the people seem to believe that he’s innocent and don’t think he should resign. In the parliament he is constantly increasing his government majority – finding magically new supporters from others parties -. The story about Bunga-Bunga parties has become very popular and also Berlusconi uses it to make jokes inviting journalists, electors and other politicians to participate during public conferences.

A politician should follow an appropriate behaviour, in accordance to his public figure. The electors need to take those figures as their model. In a civil country, with a right justice system, the consequences of actions which undermine the credibility of the country should be suitable to a right sense of decency, responsibility and morality.

How should be filthy a scandal in Italy to lead a Prime Minister to resign? Is this the country of indecency and immorality?

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