Silvio Berlusconi resigned as Prime Minister

Silvio Berlusconi

Tuesday, yesterday announced that the Prime Minister will resign, but only after full approval of the "Budget Stability" by Parliament - a process which, under normal circumstances, it could take up to one month.

This time, though, the President and the people, realizing the gravity of the situation and the country a bad image abroad, swung into action: Budget was rushed through Parliament and by yesterday afternoon everyone was waiting to witness the last trip as Premier Berlusconi - handed his resignation to the Quirinale to President Giorgio Napolitano.

The appointment with the President's Premier, we are told, for 8:30, but, this being Italy, no one really expected the event to run to time. However, as the minutes passed and it became known that Berlusconi's party is conducting the meeting, everyone began to wonder whether he will pull the last rabbit out of a hat - and in fact he was, putting it under certain conditions for the PDL [The Freedom] participation in and support from the government, the new transition. The most reported condition is that Mario Monti, EU Commissioner and former academic who has become Prime Minister while I was writing this post, will not, as Prime Minister was elected, a candidate when elections are finally held.

Finally, nearly an hour late, Berlusconi pushed to the Quirinale. He made it known that he was angry and "hurt" by the crowd jeered, who sang partisan, "Bella Ciao" and chanted "Galera!" ["Jail!"] And "Buffone!" Ah, Silvio, so has the mighty have fallen.

The announcement that the Premier was, indeed, submitted his resignation came at 10 pm, twitter feeds so crazy and spumante flowing in the streets of Rome and several other cities. Sicily is traditionally conservative and all remained quiet here in Modica, although the city has a left-wing mayor in office [by the skin of his teeth].

And that brings me to the questions always asked abroad about Berlusconi: How is this tycoon, so often ridiculed around the world, remained in power for so long? Part of the answer is, of course, that this country has no effective opposition, but the real answer, I believe, lies in the personality of its own Cavaliere: Many supporters will claim, with justification, that he did not collect millions of dollars by being stupid and that he has received little credit for his business achievements. They admire men who can rise to the top and stay there. Secondly, because I've written before, Mr. Berlusconi's appeal to the very Italian instinct - an instinct for joy - and it is this which may, paradoxically, have toppled him.