This cartoon by Dave Brown from The Independent relates to Italy's general election, which saw 64-year-old comedian Beppe Grillo take 25% of the vote. However, the man in the cartoon is not Grillo but ex-Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, whose centre-right party raked in enough votes to nearly put him in charge of the country once again (!). The cartoonist is suggesting that Berlusconi, whose Wikipedia entry features a long section entitled Jokes, gestures, and blunders, is just as much a clown as Grillo (if not more so).
LANGUAGE
In the cartoon, Berlusconi speaks with a strong Italian accent. In standard English his rhetorical question would go something like, "Hey, Italy, why did you want to go and vote for some comedian?"
MORE ITALIAN ELECTION CARTOONS
• Chappatte (International Herald Tribune)
• Steve Bell (The Guardian)
• Adams (The Telegraph)
