No Silvio, no party

Source: dailymail

Berlusconi 'asks topless model-turned-minister to replace wife at G8'
By NICK PISA

Silvio Berlusconi has reportedly solved the problem of not having a First Lady co-host at next week's G8 summit – by asking a topless model-turned-minister to step in.

The divorcing Italian Prime Minister is understood to have asked Mara Carfagna to look after the partners of the world’s top leaders at the conference in L'Aquila.

And the idea is sure to put a smile on the face of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s husband Joachim Sauer, who is the only man among the leader’s spouses.


Solution: Silvio Berlusconi hired Mara Carfagna (right) because he is divorcing

Italy's Equal Opportunities Minister Miss Carfagna is set to be joined by cabinet colleague, Education Minister Maria Stella Gelmini, according to Italian reports.

The idea is said to have been thought up by former cruise ship crooner Mr Berlusconi himself, who also moved the talks to L'Aquila after an earthquake struck there in April.

The 72-year-old has been hit by a series of sleazy scandals in recent months and in May his long-suffering wife Veronica Lario, 52, announced she was divorcing him.

Ms Lario claimed that she had had enough of her husband ‘frequenting minors’ after it emerged that he had attended the 18th birthday party of model Noemi Letizia.#


Problem: Mr Berlusconi with wife Veronica Lario in 2005 - before they split up

He even gave her a £5,000 gold and diamond necklace.

In recent weeks Berlusconi has been at the centre of a sex scandal after it was claimed that escort girl Patrizia D”Addario had been paid to spend the night at his Rome residence Palazzo Grazioli.

Since then it has emerged that regular parties were held at Palazzo Grazioli and at his Villa Certosa estate in Sardinia at which girls were paid to attend.

Billionaire media tycoon Berlusconi also has a history with Ms Carfagna as two years ago - before she became an MP - he told her during a TV awards dinner that if he ‘wasn’t already married,’ he would ‘run off’ with her.

As a result of what he said his furious wife demanded - and got - a public apology from Berlusconi after she wrote to an Italian newspaper complaining of his behaviour.

Last year there were also further controversy between Berlusconi and Ms Carfagna after a comedian claimed she had performed a sex act on the politician.

It came after Italian newspapers had been buzzing with wild rumours that Berlusconi and an unnamed woman minister took part in the sort of activity not written about since the days of Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky.

During an anti-Berlusconi rally in Rome, comedian Sabina Guzzanti named the woman Ms Carfagna and she hit back and said she would sue as the claims were ‘vulgar and fanciful.’

Miss Carfagna is the youngest member of his Cabinet and she entered politics in 2006 after a career in TV.

Many were surprised at her appointment, given her inexperience and before joining the cabinet she had posed topless and semi-naked, but always highlighted her family values and insisted none of the pictures was ‘erotic’.

Today a spokesman at Ms Carfagna’s office said: ‘We are aware of the reports but there is nothing to say at the moment as the agenda for the G8 summit is still being drawn up.’

The world’s leaders will gather in the central Italian city of L’Aquila on Wednesday to discuss the economy, climate change, development and food security.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown is attending with his wife Sarah and she will have a day in Rome before joining her husband in the city on Wednesday night for the rest of the summit.

Along with other leaders they will stay at the financial police barracks in Coppitto which is the summit venue and they will also see for themselves first hand the effects of April’s earthquake which killed 300 people.

The area is still being hit by aftershocks including a large one today which measured 4.1 on the Richter scale compared to the 5.8 one which struck in April.

Despite the continuing aftershocks Berlusconi has assured the delegations that the summit is quake proof and a British diplomat in Rome revealed all delegates including Mr Brown had been given ‘tremor training.’

The source said: ‘Because of where the summit is being held and because of the aftershocks everyone in the 40 strong British delegation, including the PM have been given advice on what to do in an earthquake.

‘In essence it’s the basics such as keeping calm and not panicking, stand in a doorway but keep the door open in case the building shifts and jams it shut.’

Berlusconi moved the summit to the area to help boost morale and put the region back on its feet.

Also, once the delegations have left the compound, people made homeless by the quake will move in until new houses are ready.