Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who has repeatedly come under heated criticism for involvement in prostitution and fraud scandals during his term in office, expressed on Friday his confidence he is the best possible national leader.
Berlusconi, 74, assumed the office of prime minister in 2008. Since then the Italian parliament has many times voted in question of Berlusconi's confidence. The possibility to hold early parliamentary elections is currently under discussion in Italy.
In the latest case, prosecutors requested that Berlusconi stand trial on charges of patronizing an underage woman for sex and abusing his powers in an attempt to cover up the relationship. Many thousands of women protested across Italy last Sunday, chanting: "This country is not a brothel!"
At a press conference held earlier on Friday, a journalist asked Berlusconi about the future of his government. "I believe, no one can rule better than me," the perky prime minister responded.
Italians are not the only ones dissatisfied with Berlusconi. According to a secret cable issued on the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks last year, Elizabeth Dibble, U.S. charge d'affaires in Rome, described Berlusconi to be "feckless, vain, and ineffective as a modern European leader," whose "frequent late nights and penchant for partying hard mean he does not get sufficient rest."
ROME, February 25 (RIA Novosti)
