Not even her position as the world’s most powerful woman has prevented German Chancellor Angela Merkel from becoming the victim of playboy premier Silvio Berlusconi’s sexist language. The gaffe-prone tycoon has been overheard referring to the German leader as an “unfuckable lard-arse”, according to wiretaps reported by Italian newspapers. [Independent]
Silvio Berlusconi
“I’m so transparent, so clean in everything I do. There’s nothing I could be reproached for. I don’t do anything that could be seen as a crime. People can say I f*** but that’s all they can say,” Berlusconi was quoted as saying. “I couldn’t give a f***. In a few months I’m going to go away and mind my own f****** business. I’m leaving this s*** country that makes me feel like puking,” he said, according to a report by Italian news agency ANSA. [AFP]
Italian Politicians Unhappy That Berlusconi Speech Did Not Break Into Bunga-Bunga Party On The Floor Of Parliament
By Matt Levine
With the Italian 10-year bond trading almost 400bps wide of German rates, stocks down 1.5%, and new doubts about the EU’s ability to respond to the spreading credit crisis, Silvio Berlusconi took to the floor of parliament to defend his country’s credit and was criticized for not keeping it lively enough:
Commenting on the speech, a strong critic of Mr Berlusconi within the government, who asked not to be identified, acknowledged it was “boring” but said the prime minister was right to point to the lack of confidence in the eurozone as the root cause of Italy’s current problems on the markets.
Because of course Berlusconi said that Italy has “solid economic fundamentals,” which should reassure everyone, and that the problem is market misinterpretation rather than budget or debt problems. But not everyone agrees that Italy’s crisis is all in the minds of short sellers and CDS buyers: Continue reading »
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