A civil case takes on average more than seven years to settle and a criminal case five. Even minor offences like falsifying a bus ticket or driving without a licence are eligible for two appeals.
Lawyers say Berlusconi has contributed to the problem by passing laws for his own protection, including drastically shortening the statute of limitations for white-collar crimes, which gives defence lawyers an incentive to drag out cases.
The greatest disagreement on reform is over demands to change the way magistrates are regulated, supervised and appointed. They currently govern themselves. The solution is to reinforce politics by restoring its legitimacy, but he supported one of the main reforms demanded by Berlusconi, the separation of the careers of prosecutors and judges. Critics of the current system say the fact that judges and prosecutors have the same training, work in the same buildings and can transfer between the two professions, means that there is collusion that disadvantages the defence.
They also want to curb the powers of prosecutors, who run the police investigation of a crime, but Roia and others say the independence of prosecutors from political control is a strength. We have prayed for you and will continue to do so every day. In another, "Grandma Norina" called on Berlusconi's deceased mother for help: "Your mamma in the heavens will protect you and give you the strength and serenity to continue your job.
Others wrote to say they wept, that "I'm hurt like as if my father had been hit" and "Without you I'd leave Italy". With the book out in stores just as Berlusconi tries to rally voters ahead of the March vote, the left-leaning newspaper La Repubblica dismissed it as an election gimmick and mockingly dubbed it "Silvio Ceausescu's little white book".
In a foreword to the book, Berlusconi said the solidarity show made up for all the "slander, offences, false accusations" he had faced over the year and that the book was borne out of his desire to give the messages some recognition. And there was a continuous pilgrimage, first in hospital and then at family home Arcore. A centrefold with statistics on various government projects and texts of two speeches by year-old Berlusconi complete the book, dedicated to "The Italy that knows how to love".
A youthful-looking Berlusconi appears on the cover, smiling. Read more: Mediaset executive: Berlusconi had no role in running company. The PDL has been lobbying for President Giorgio Napolitano to pardon Berlusconi, which political sources say he has angrily rejected as impossible for several reasons, including because Berlusconi is still awaiting a verdict in an appeal against a conviction for paying for sex with a minor in the so-called "Rubygate" scandal.
The level of anger in the PDL over the sentence and PD insistence that the law must be upheld have raised real fears of a collapse of the coalition government. But even if the government continues, the strife is likely to dim hopes for reforms desperately needed to drag the euro zone's third largest economy out of its longest post-war recession. Defence minister Mario Mauro told newspaper Il Sussidario earlier there was an awareness in the government that the delicate coalition risked breakdown, but any move towards elections is unlikely until parliament returns from its summer recess and Italians from their sacrosanct August holidays.
Analysts point out that Berlusconi may hesitate to bring down the government and force elections because the sentence will prevent him campaigning or standing as a candidate, and the party depends not only on his wealth but his charisma and communication skills.
In addition, until a dysfunctional electoral law is changed, a new election is likely to produce an even more chaotic outcome than the last vote in February. Head of State Napolitano and Letta both say the country cannot afford another election at a moment of economic crisis.
Read more: Is the net closing in on 'Houdini' Berlusconi?
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