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Italy: Rightists fall out but escape jail

01 January 1998

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Former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi - who came to power by forging alliances with the previously untouchable neo-nazi National Alliance (which, before a cosmetic name-change, was the overtly nazi MSI) and the nationalist Northern League - was convicted on corruption charges in December. The charges related to false accounting practices involving his Fininvest company and is one of the more modest accusations against the leader of the so-called Freedom Alliance; other outstanding allegations against him involve bribery and channelling money to politicians. He received a sixteen month suspended sentence.

Berlusconi's one-time alliance partner, Umberto Bossi, leader of the Northern League, also received a suspended sentence in January. Bossi was found guilty of inciting his followers to hunt down members of the National Alliance and to "take them out" at a rally in 1995. In addition to receiving a suspended sentence he will have to pay a ?60,000 fine to members of the "post-fascist" organisation, including their leader, Gianfranco Fini.

International Herald Tribune 4.12.97, 23.1.98.

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