Italian Constitutional Court Ruled in Favor of A Referendum

The Italian Constitutional Court ruled Wednesday in favor of a referendum on the abolition of the law that prevents any trial of Silvio Berlusconi while in office as head of government. The referendum, promoted by the opposition party Italy of Values, depends on the verdict rendered by the Constitutional Court itself Thursday on the law in question. The law, adopted in March last year, and so-called “legitimate impediment” is allowed to stay for 18 months two lawsuits against the mayor, who has immunity until September 2011.

The decision of the judges raised many expectations as to lift his immunity, Berlusconi could be tried for bribing between 1997 and 1998 with $ 600,000 to British lawyer David Mills to falsify his testimony in two trials against him and for tax fraud the illegal purchase of television rights.

However, the mayor predicted on Wednesday from Berlin (Germany) that the Court’s decision left him “completely indifferent” and called it “ridiculous” the judgments against him. ”Explain to the Italians on television the pathology of our democracy by the presence of a court order that became a judiciary,” he said.

If the 15 judges of the high court decided to destroy the law, the referendum will be invalidated. In October 2009, the Constitutional Court invalidated another standard, Alfano law, which granted immunity from prosecution to the four major offices of state, including the prime minister.

The Constitutional Court had to rule on the legal impediment on 14 December, but postponed the decision in January to avoid coincide with the vote in the Parliament of the Berlusconi-confidence motion, which passed by a few votes.