Berlusconi Defeated: Thanks to Italian-Canadians

international | racism & migration related issues | other press Saturday April 15, 2006 20:50 by redjade

'The votes of 40,000 Canadian citizens who qualify as "Italians abroad,"....'

The votes of 40,000 Canadian citizens who qualify as "Italians abroad," some of whom have never set foot in Italy and many of whom don't speak Italian, played a pivotal role in the defeat of billionaire Silvio Berlusconi in Italy's election yesterday, according to poll results released late last night.

For the first time in history, a country's political fate appears to have been determined by citizens of other countries, after Mr. Berlusconi introduced a scheme in 2002 that defines eligible Italian voters by blood lines rather than residency.

As it became apparent yesterday that he had been defeated by this system, which provides 12 deputies and six senators to represent Italians on foreign soil, the Prime Minister and media magnate reacted with outrage.

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.200604...ry/TP