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WORLD NEWS Thursday 23 November 2017

Italy’s Berlusconi hopes European court allows comeback

By NICOLE WINFIELD argued Wednesday that
FRANCOIS BADIAS Italy violated Berlusconi’s
Associated Press human rights in multiple
STRASBOURG, France (AP) ways, notably by means of
— Lawyers for Silvio Berlus- a 2012 law preventing any-
coni and the Italian govern- one sentenced to more
ment sparred Wednesday than two years in prison
in Europe’s human rights from holding or running for
court in an unusual, high- public office for at least six
profile case that could help years.
the 81-year-old tycoon’s Berlusconi in 2013 was
attempted political come- stripped of his Senate seat
back. and barred from holding
Berlusconi, the three-time public office following a tax
Italian premier, says Italy’s fraud conviction.
government violated his He challenged the ban
rights by barring him from first in Italy and then at the
public office over a tax European court, arguing
fraud conviction. He is ap- among other things that
pealing to the European being stripped from of-
Court of Human Rights — fice amounted to retroac-
though he’s determined to tive punishment, since the
weigh in on Italy’s upcom- Italian former Prime Minister and leader of “Forza Italia” party, Silvio Berlusconi, gestures during tax fraud case concerned
ing electoral campaign re- the recording of Rai TV program ‘Porta a porta’, in Rome Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017. crimes purportedly commit-
gardless of what the court (Claudio Peri/ANSA via AP ted prior to 2012. Fitzgerald
decides. the case. Berlusconi, who has in hopes that the court will said the ban was vague,
“I hope the court quickly “But my role in the next emerged from the politi- make a decision in time to politically driven and of-
takes up my appeal,” Ber- campaign is clear: Inde- cal shadows in the run-up allow him to run on his Forza fered Berlusconi no legal
lusconi told La Repubblica pendent of my ability to to the 2018 elections, has Italia ticket. recourse. He said it was de-
on Wednesday, when the run, I will be campaigning asked Italy’s president to A court decision isn’t ex- signed by Berlusconi’s rivals
Strasbourg, France-based for the center-right to lead delay holding general pected for months. His in the Senate to target the
court held its first hearing in the country.” elections until late spring lawyer Edward Fitzgerald former premier.q

German Social Democrats under pressure in coalition impasse

By GEIR MOULSON disastrous result in Germa- they shouldn’t enter a are the “grand coalition” at the possibility of giving a
Associated Press ny’s Sept. 24 election that government,” the coun- or the alliance on which minority conservative gov-
BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s it would go into opposition, try’s representative on the talks collapsed. If no one ernment some support, at
center-left Social Demo- and its leadership reiter- European Commission, budges, the options are least on European and for-
crats are under pressure to ated that stance Monday Guenther Oettinger, told a minority government — eign policy issues.
halt the country’s drift to- after Merkel’s coalition talks Der Spiegel magazine on never previously tried — or “This is the parliament’s
ward a new election after with two smaller parties col- Wednesday. Oettinger is a a new election. The Social hour,” he said. “We must
ruling out a repeat of their lapsed and insisted it isn’t member of Merkel’s con- Democrats’ leader, Martin consider new forms of co-
outgoing coalition with afraid of a new poll. servative Christian Demo- Schulz, will meet Thursday operation.” Stegner said
Chancellor Angela Merkel. That position has drawn cratic Union. with President Frank-Walter that “new elections would
The Social Democrats widespread criticism from The heads of two influen- Steinmeier, who has urged be a confession of failure.”
were the junior partners in other parties. tial German business lobby politicians to compromise. Merkel, however, has said
Merkel’s government of the “In the interest of Ger- groups also said the country Deputy leader Ralf Stegner that she is “very skeptical”
past four years, a “grand many’s ability to act in Eu- needs a new government told news agency dpa that about a minority govern-
coalition” of Germany’s rope, the Social Democrats soon. The only two political- his party isn’t backing off its ment and new elections
biggest parties. should think again very ly plausible coalitions with refusal to join a new Merkel would be preferable if no
But the party said after a carefully about whether a parliamentary majority administration, but hinted coalition can be formed. q