Jobseeker’s Diary

I’m struck by the fact that Israel, Italy, India, Greece and Germany all have presidents and yet we see and hear more from the Prime Ministers of those countries and in Germany’s case, the chancellor Merkel. It’s like having a C.E.O but reporting to the Administrative Secretary. Okay maybe my comparison is overstated but you get the picture. Why don’t they just scrap the Presidency since the Prime Ministers wield more power? Silvio Berlusconi, whose unofficial duties are well-documented, is finally bowing out. He almost outlived the proverbial cat with nine lives but after one scandal too many and Italy’s grim financial crisis, something had to give.