Berlusconi supporters braced for poll defeat

Silvio Berlusconi, the man who - like George Bush - changes any law that he falls foul off, appears to be running out of time.

There is only one week left before the flambouyant Mr. Berlusconi has to face the Italian electorate at the polls, polls in which he has been trailing his centre-left rival Romano Prodi by between three and five points for the last two years.

Considering the huge influence that Berlusconi - a man who controls three TV stations - has over Italian public opinion, this is an extraordinary situation.

And given that he has spent much of his five years as premier passing laws to keep himself out of jail and to benefit his companies, he has a lot to lose.

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Tags: Berslusconi, Italy, Elections,