Vittoria

The Italian Senate has just voted 160 to 155 to defeat the Berlusconi party attack on Prodi's democratic coalition. As the criminal, squealing, disgusting animal of public and personal corruption under Berlusconi (Blair's ally and personal friend) is dragged from its lair and exposed to view, the House of Liberty (or Liberty Hall, as it might be called) descends into squadristi behaviour, mass demonstrations and placard carrying by senators in the Senate itself, the howling down of the Finance minister Padoa-Schioppa as he sets out the reasons why the head of the taxation service was required to resign, and splits into its opportunist factions.

They've been seen off once again, as Italy reasserts the democracy it so nearly lost over the last decade.