ROME – A defiant Silvio Berlusconi vowed yesterday to see out his term as Italian prime minister until 2013, saying he was unworried by an order to stand trial for abuse of power and paying for sex with an underage girl.
“For love of country I won’t talk about it. Suffice it to say that I am not worried in the least,” Mr Berlusconi said in his first public comment since a judge ordered him to stand trial in April over the so-called “Ruby affair”.
Mr Berlusconi said he expected to broaden his parliamentary majority soon and confidently dismissed talk of an early election.
However, commentators said that ultimately Mr Berlusconi could not stem the tide heading toward early elections. "Objectively speaking, Berlusconi is worn down and gasping for breath," wrote Massimo Franco, a political commentator for the Corriere della Seranewspaper. – (Reuters)