Signs of 'superior civilisation'?

THERE is this high-profile politician who keeps on making the news for a series of scandals that in any other social and cultural contexts would have brought doom to his career.

Last month, his wife for 19 years filed for divorce following reports that he went to the birthday party of an 18-year-old girl, and speculations of an inappropriate relationship with her — which he denied. But days later, a newspaper published what it said were photographs of racy parties at his villa. The photos, including one which showed scantily clad women, are now blocked from use in his country by a judicial order after he complained of an invasion of privacy.

He has made a series of comments that can only be described as denigrating to women. Earlier this year he was asked by reporters to comment about an interior ministry proposal to deploy troops on city streets after a series of sexual assaults on women. "We can't think of deploying a large force," he said. "We would have to send as many soldiers as there are beautiful girls. And I don't think we would manage."

After being accused of ignoring the seriousness of sexual violence, he said he meant his remarks as a "compliment" and noted that "women have to be defended".

In another controversial comment, during the run-up to the 2008 general election in his country, he claimed right-wing female politicians were better looking than their left-wing counterparts.

As of this week, he has been busy refuting allegations that he paid prostitutes to attend parties he hosted at his various homes. In an interview, the 72-year-old denied he had ever paid for sex — an allegation made by a woman who claimed to have been paid for her sexual service together with a group of other young women.

"I have never paid a woman," he said. Why? Because, "I never understood where the satisfaction is when you're missing the pleasure of conquest," he said, clearly indicating his perspective on men-women relationship.

Despite the scandals, however, he remains popular, consistently scoring approval ratings of more than 60 per cent in his country.

Why? A journalist explained that thus: "One must first understand that while (people of my country) are tough on politicians who take public money, they are very tolerant towards those who pay with their own money. (This man) is very rich and has always been the one accused of the lesser offence of paying out the cash." In other words, the man allegedly committed money politics (which he denied) but was considered better than the other politicians who took bribes.

Secondly, in his country, sexual scandals are regarded as far less serious than financial ones no matter how denigrating to women that principle is. "The simple fact is that a man with many women is an object of admiration..." the journalist said.

Sexual scandals, degradation and objectification of women, money politics...in any other people's book, those would have to be classified as the characteristics of a crook. And this scandal-ridden politician is the very person who said in 2001 that Western civilisation was superior to Islamic culture and civilisation.

Speaking at a news conference with his then Russian and German counterparts, he said, "We must be aware of the superiority of our civilisation, a system that has guaranteed well-being, respect for human rights and — in contrast with Islamic countries — respect for religious and political rights."

He then said he hoped the "the West will continue to conquer peoples, like it conquered Communism" even if that meant a confrontation with "another civilisation, the Islamic one, stuck where it was 1,400 years ago".

What a piece of advice from somebody whose conduct and remarks would have been described as primitive elsewhere.

But may be Italy — where Silvio Berlusconi keeps on leading as its three-time prime minister — follows a different set of rules, as hinted by the journalist mentioned above. What's clear is that all these shed light on the quality of a governing system — namely democracy in Italy — where people lacking in moral fibres can remain leaders.