The monarchy has been restored in Italy.

Clearly unhappy that, although he has direct and indirect control over most of his country's media, the world press keeps reporting his sexual peccadilloes and his legal imbroglios, Silvio Berlusconi has directed his tourism minister to launch a campaign to revive Italy's image.

How very Louis XIV. L'État, c'est moi! - à la Berlusconi.

An emergency taskforce is to be established within a month to monitor airwaves and news-stands the world over for coverage of Italy and bombard foreign newsrooms with good news about the country.

The plan was announced by the tourism minister, Michela Vittoria Brambilla, who said a crack team of young journalists and communications experts would be assembled to stamp out bad news.

"Their first job will be to monitor all the foreign press, including dailies, periodicals and TV in every latitude, from Japan to Peru," she told Corriere della Sera today. The second task will be to "bombard those newsrooms with truthful and positive news", and reveal to the world "a generous, truthful and audacious Italy – the Italy of entrepreneurs, art, cultural events and our products".

Berlusconi attacked the foreign press yesterdayfor criticising himself and Italy, days after the country's constitutional court stripped him of legal immunity, a ruling which means he again faces prosecution for fraud and bribing British tax adviser David Mills.

... Berlusconi, who owns Italy's largest private television network and has indirect influence over the state RAI network, has said he will now make radio and TV appearances to explain to Italians why his upcoming trials are "farcical".

Yesterday the international press reported yet another Berlusconi freudian slip. He complained bitterly that:

... he has paid millions of euros to consultants and judges during his court appearances.

He also claims he is:

...“absolutely the most persecuted by the judiciary in all of the history of the entire world”. He had been forced to endure 106 trials and investigations ...

Which makes us wonder how the investigations in the construction companies which used sub-standard building materials and techniques in L'Aquila are proceeding. Unbelievable though it may seem, there are far, far worse prime ministers than Stevie Harpoon.

The photo of Silvio was found at this blogsite.