Being a moderate, I am not comfortable with either Casa delle libertà 
(especially as an ally of Lega Nord), or the Olive Tree Coalition, so I 
approach this article only from the standpoints of :

1) how unaware I was of what enormous "European" pressure is used to 
influence Italy's Elections (far beyond that which is used by Europeans to 
influence any other countries elections), and 

2) how the article depicts the ways in which the power holders of the world 
can play on the general impression that Italians are a bunch of boobs, and 
that any Italian can be made to be less credible if the term "mafia" is used.... 
It is very difficult to understand how anyone would not see this as a result of 
the incessant presentation of Italians and Italian-Americans as goons and 
buffoons.    

The reportage is from The British Helsinki Human Rights Group (BHHRG) is 
an independent Non-Governmental Organisation,  founded in 1992, dedicated 
to monitoring the progress of democracy and human rights in the OSCE 
member states.

The Group does not take a political stance but hopes to contribute information 
which will facilitate an open and constructive debate on developments in the 
OSCE region.

BHHRG is a registered charity under UK law depends for support on volunteer 
Academics from Oxford University and other British universities, as well as 
lawyers and doctors. 

I quote only the one following paragraph, but the hyperlink, and URL follows 
for those who are prepared to be fascinated by the intrique and hypocricy.... 

The (Economist) repeatedly says that Mr. Berlusconi has “links to the Mafia”.  
It entitled one paragraph “Cosy with Cosa Nostra?”  The report concludes that 
“Mr. Berlusconi has needed a lot of help from insalubrious quarters.  Though 
he says he wants to replace the old corrupt system, his own business empire 
is largely a product of it.”  What is the evidence for this?  Two investigations 
opened into Mr. Berlusconi’s links with the Mafia have been closed for lack of 
evidence.  A third, involving a friend of his but not involving Mr. Berlusconi, is 
still open.  The Economist glosses over the fact that the two charges against 
Mr. Berlusconi himself have been dropped and presses on with the conclusions 
quoted above.  There is no difference, however, between The Economist’s 
insistence that Mr. Berlusconi is somehow linked to the Mafia and the old 
Soviet-style accusation that so-and-so is “linked to counter-revolutionary 
forces”.  The Economist’s conviction of Mr. Berlusconi without trial is particularly 
misplaced considering that Giulio Andreotti, one of the most powerful men in 
Italian politics during the Mafia-ridden post-war period, was acquitted of links 
with the Mafia after a long trial in 1999.