Former Italian prime minister and television mogul Silvio Berlusconi was forced out of office in November 2011. Though his resignation was widely reported by corporate media, the full extent of his corruption and bigotry has not been well documented in US news. Berlusconi faced numerous charges of embezzlement, corruption, and sexual encounters with underage girls.  During his time in office he contemplated changing his party’s name to “Go Pussy!” in hopes to garner more supporters. He tried to balance his misogynistic views with homophobic comments, such as “It’s better to like beautiful girls than to be gay.”
In a nine-month span he spent ÂŁ80,000 flying girls from all over Europe for one of his lewd parties and would often pay a girl a minimum of ÂŁ4,000 for a night with her. While indulging himself at taxpayers’ expense, he said that survivors of the April 2009 L’Aquila earthquake should view their plight “like a weekend of camping.”
His behavior and conduct with world leaders was just as deplorable.  He called Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel an “un****able lard-ass” while she waited to discuss Italy’s economy with him. When he met with Finnish President Tarja Halonen to discuss Italy’s inability to host the European Food Safety Authority, he stated, “I had to use all my playboy tactics.”
It is a wonder that Berlusconi managed to maintain office for a decade after being so insensitive to his citizens. He said women were raped because they were too pretty and should have stayed home for their own safety. He tried to justify his remark by saying it was a compliment to Italian women. He believes that Mussolini never killed anyone but simply sent them on a holiday called exile.
As accusations and irrefutable proof of his lewd endeavors and callous leadership mounted, Berlusconi shrugged off his critics, saying, “I am not a saint, you’ve all understood that.”
Title: Female guests at Silvio Berlusconi’s parties were prostitutes, police witness says
Author: Nick Pisa
Publication: The Telegraph (UK)
Date of Publication: 2 December 2011
Title: Berlusconi’s ‘escort fixer’ spent 80,000 euros in nine months flying girls in from London for sex parties
Author: Nick Pisa
Publication: Daily Mail (UK)
Date of Publication: 20 September 2011
Title: Angela Merkel undermined by outspoken MPs
Author: Tony Patterson
Publication: The Independent (UK)
Date of Publication: 15 September 2011
Title: Merkel becomes latest Berlusconi victim
Publication: Global Post
Date of Publication: 15 September 2011
Title: Berlusconi upsets women over rape remedy
Author: Paola Totaro
Publication: Sydney Morning Herald
Date of Publication: 27 January 2009
Title: Berlusconi’s Women, Adoring and Otherwise
Author: Samantha Henig
Publication: The New Yorker
Date of Publication: 30 May 2011
Student Researcher: Natalie Mar, Santa Rosa Junior College
Faculty Evaluator: Susan Rahman, Santa Rosa Junior College