Italian opposition politicians have been joined by a leading Catholic publication and even government MPs in expressing outrage after Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi joked he was thinking of renaming his political party Forza Gnocca, which translates as Go Pussy.
The criticism came as Berlusconi, whose political career is widely considered to be on the wane, was accused of parking an old friend in a safe job after a former pet food executive was nominated as the new head of the Venice Biennale, Italy's foremost art and architecture exhibition.
Responding to the slide in the polls of his Freedom People party caused by the financial crisis and his sex scandals, Berlusconi reportedly told MPs he had commissioned surveys to find a new name for the party, which started life in 1993 as Forza Italia, or Go Italy.
"Some of polls say the best choice would be Forza Gnocca," he joked, according to the Italian daily La Stampa.
Pier Luigi Bersani, the head of the opposition Democratic party, called the quip despairing, while party colleague Rosy Bindi said: "Now the farce is turning into tragedy."
Democratic senator Anna Finocchiaro said: "These are not jokes but a reflection of the view that Berlusconi and his coalition have of the country – backward, vulgar and squalid." » | Tom Kington in Rome | Friday, October 07, 2011
