Berlusconi Nazi remark in EU assembly
2As Berlusconi began his first address to the assembly, proceedings were interrupted by seven Green party members holding up placards saying, "Everybody is equal under the law."
The Presidency of the Council of the European Union rotates among the member states of the EU every six months. The presidency is not an individual, but rather the position is held by a national government. It is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the "president of the European Union". The presidency's function is to chair meetings of the council, determine its agendas, set a work program and facilitate dialogue both at Council meetings and with other EU institutions. The presidency is currently, as of July 2023, held by Spain.
From the New York Times Article about the Apology:
After a barrage of criticism, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi apologized today for likening a German member of the European Parliament to a concentration camp bully.
In a telephone call to Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, who had earlier in the day demanded an apology from Mr. Berlusconi, the Italian leader said he was sorry for the offense he had given. He added, however, that he had been offended by the member of Parliament, Martin Schulz, who had criticized Mr. Berlusconi's conduct as prime minister.
''During a telephone conversation with the German chancellor, the prime minister told him about the serious affront that he faced in the European Parliament yesterday,'' a statement from Mr. Berlusconi's office said.
''The Italian prime minister also repeated what he had already said yesterday, that is to say his regret for the fact that someone could have misunderstood the meaning of a joke that was only meant to be ironic,'' it added.
Mr. Berlusconi's call came after a day of angry criticism of his remarks, made after he was heckled by leftist lawmakers during his inaugural speech as the European Union president.
''Fresh doubts surface about the Italian prime minister's suitability for guiding Europe through difficult times,'' The Financial Times wrote this morning.
The Frankfurter Rundschau wrote: ''Berlusconi's statement was indeed extraordinarily tasteless, but its real significance lies in the terrifying realization that the E.U.'s current highest representative quickly loses his self-control and partially takes leave of his senses.''
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