PM’s reputation damaged by economic mismanagement as Europe lurches toward recession
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi won a key confidence vote in his country’s parliament on Friday. Berlusconi has come under increasing scrutiny for his handling of the Italian economy as Europe struggles to contain the sovereign debt crisis and the continent heads toward a recession. Though he survived the centre-left’s attempt to remove him from power, the mismanagement of Italy’s finance’s as well as a series of recent sex scandals have left Berlusconi’s public reputation in tatters. The latest opinion poll put his popularity at a dismal 24 per cent.