'Idiot' proves to be high point in Italian election

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi gestures as he presents his electoral programme for the April general elections, during a political meeting in Naples. Picture / Reuters

PALERMO - The insults in the run-up to Italy's election next week have deteriorated from "useful idiot" to "coglioni" - literally "testicles" but usually intended to mean idiots or cretins.

"I have too much esteem for the intelligence of Italians to think that they would be such 'coglioni' as to vote against their own interests," Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said yesterday, smiling broadly. "Excuse my rough but efficient language."

Last week Opposition leader Romano Prodi described his opponents as "political criminals".

During a televised debate, Berlusconi stated his hurt at the "criminal" tag. Prodi replied by lamenting that during the campaign Berlusconi had called him a "poveraccio" (a poor fellow), a rabbit and a cuckold. Berlusconi denied calling him a rabbit and said he called him a poveraccio in a sympathetic sort of way because of the manner in which he was being abused by the communists in his coalition.

A little later in the evening, Prodi highlighted the Prime Minister's addiction to statistics by citing an old witticism: "He uses statistics like a drunk uses lamp-posts, more for support than illumination."

Moments later, Berlusconi called Prodi "a useful idiot" for the former communists in his coalition.

Reacting to the "coglioni" insult, the centre-left coalition released a statement saying Berlusconi is "an uncouth and vulgar man".

"By using these ignoble and violent words, Berlusconi has thrown off the mask and revealed himself for what he is: a person who uses the media like a thug, and who lacks any respect for democracy, for institutions and for Italians."

* The Times reported that Berlusconi admitted phoning late-night erotic chat lines for votes. He claimed that seven out of nine chatline girls said that they would vote for him.

IN HIS OWN WORDS

"I have too much esteem for the intelligence of Italians to think that they could be such 'coglioni' to vote against their own interests."

"I fight communism the way Churchill fought against Nazism."

"Only Napoleon did more." (On his Government's accomplishments.)

He called himself "the Jesus Christ of politics."

- INDEPENDENT