Berlusconi run for prime minister again

Rumors about the 76-year-old Berlusconi's intention to run again for office have been floating around for months.

Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Saturday he would run again as his country's leader, signaling a return to the limelight for the nation's most flamboyant politician.

The billionaire resigned as prime minister just over a year ago at the height of his country's debt crisis, bringing to an end an 18-year era in which he dominated Italian politics.

Since then, Italy has been run by an unelected, technocratic government headed by economist Mario Monti.

Monti plans to step down after passage of a national budget and stability measures, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said in a statement Saturday after meeting with Monti.

"The prime minister doesn't consider it possible to further carry out its mandate and thus he expressed his intention to resign," it read.

If Monti resigns before the new year, elections could be held as early as next February, a few months earlier than the natural end of the legislature.

In a message posted on his website and Facebook page, Berlusconi said: "I'm besieged by my people that are requesting that I get back in the battlefield leading the People of Freedom, PDL party."

He said the center-right coalition had searched for a new leader, but there was no one to replace him.

"I return to politics with despair and out of a sense of responsibility," he said.

But, he added, "I enter the race to win."

When he resigned in November 2011, Berlusconi said he did not intend to run for office when elections were held again.

But the 76-year-old's intention to return to frontline politics has been rumored in the months since.

In October, a Milan court sentenced Berlusconi to four years in prison for tax evasion.

Through the years, Berlusconi has been accused of embezzlement, fraud and bribery, but the tax evasion case marked the first time he had been convicted of an offense.

Berlusconi also faces trial on charges that he hired an underage prostitute and later tried to pull strings to get her out of jail when she was accused of theft.

意大利前总理西尔维奥•贝卢斯科尼周六称，他将再度竞选意大利总理，这标志着意大利最引人注目的政客又将重回公众视线。

这位亿万富翁刚在一年多前卸去总理职务，终结了他统治意大利政坛长达18年之久的历史。当时意大利正处于债务危机的最高峰。

自那以后，意大利一直由经济学家马里奥•蒙蒂领导的未经选举的技术专家治国论的政府管理。

意大利总统乔治•纳波利塔诺在与蒙蒂见面后，周六发表声明说，蒙蒂计划在通过一系列国家预算和稳定措施之后辞职。

声明中说：“蒙蒂总理认为不可能进一步开展自己受命进行的工作，因此他表达了自己辞职的意愿。”

如果蒙蒂在新年到来之前辞职，意大利将在明年二月份就进行选举，这比立法机关自然到期的时间提早了几个月。

贝卢斯科尼在他上传到个人网站和Facebook页面的信息中说：“我的人民强烈要求我重返政坛，领导自由人民党投入战斗。”

他说，中右翼联盟已经寻找过新的领导人，但是没有找到可以替代他的人。

他说：“我带着绝望的心情回归政坛是出于责任感。”

但是，他补充说：“我志在必胜。”

贝卢斯科尼在2011年11月辞职时说，如果再次举行选举，他不打算参加竞选。

但是76岁的老贝打算重归政坛第一线的消息几个月以来已经被传得沸沸扬扬。

十月份，米兰一家法院以贝卢斯科尼逃税的罪名判处他四年监禁。

这些年来，贝卢斯科尼曾被控贪污、欺诈、行贿等多项罪名，但逃税一案是老贝头一回被判有罪。

贝卢斯科尼还面临其他几项控告的审讯，包括他曾经雇用未成年妓女，后来在该妓女被控盗窃时又试图通过幕后操纵让她出狱。

Vocabulary:

flamboyant: 醒目的，惹眼的

technocratic: 技术专家治国论的

step down: 辞职；退位，下台

mandate: 受命进行的工作

besiege: 团团围住

PDL party: 自由人民党

pull strings: 幕后操纵