After three unsuccessful votes, having nominated Hitler, a saint, a princess and several pop stars for president during the first two days of voting, with many casting blank protest votes in the fourth round on 10 May,2006, Italy’s politicians finally chose one of their number, 80 year old Giorgio Napolitano, as President. The problem is that he was one of the leaders of the Communist Party which after the collapse of the Soviet Union, became the Left Democrat Party.
Until the last years of the USSR, the party acted under Moscow’s instructions. So some politicians have indicated they will not recognize him as head of state, and others say the government should have found a candidate on whom all could agree.
Imagine how they would do it in New South Wales! Fortunately, Australians will never give them the chance.