Lawyers claim Italian PM is “first above equals” and should thus be protected from prosecution
In Canada, as in Britain, we speak of the prime minister as a “first among equals.” It’s a platitude, to be sure, and one Silvio Berlusconi’s legal team are effectively mocking by arguing the Italian Prime Minister should be prosecuted over corruption accusations. The PM, they say, is a “first above equals,” recalling that famous line in George Orwell’s satirical novel Animal Farm: “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” That would violate Italy’s constitution, which states all citizens are equal before the law. It would also make Berlusconi a pig, if you’re inclined to extend the literary analogy.