Berlusconi under pressure to step down

Italy’s Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi who, with girl friend Barbie, was given a warm welcome to Panama’s presidential palace recently, is under mounting pressure in his home country.

One of his closest allies said he should resign if the allegations that he abused his position to get a teenage Moroccan belly dancer off police charges are shown to be true.

Gianfranco Fini, the speaker of the lower house of parliament, said on Sunday night that if it is proved that Berlusconi did interfere with a police investigation on behalf of 17-year-old Karima Keyek then "it would be time to step down".
It is the latest setback for the Italian Prime Minister who has so far played down allegations that he secured the release of Keyek in May, after she was detained on suspicion of stealing €3,000 from an acquaintance says The First Post.
Vincenzo Indolfini, the police station commander who was on duty on the night in question, said one of his officers had received a call from the prime minister's office claiming that Keyek – who calls herself Ruby Rubacuori – was the granddaughter of the Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.
He said the caller had said "something like: 'Is it true you've detained this person? Then make the [necessary] checks and then see what to do.'"
Police officers at the station were then reportedly told to release the teenager and to drop the case.
Berlusconi has admitted he tried to help Keyek because he felt sorry for her and, according to Italian media reports, one of his aides – a former showgirl turned politician – collected Keyek after her release.
Fini has been a close ally to the Italian PM for more than 15 years after his right-wing National Alliance party merged with Berlusconi's party to create the Freedom People (PdL) movement in 2009. However, he has become increasingly critical as he attempts to manoeuvre into a position to succeed his boss.
With Berlusconi reeling from a prostitution investigation and his popularity at an all-time low, opposition politicians are putting increasing pressure on Fini to clear the way for a new government.

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