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Italian Candidates Debate Future

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in his final television debate before weekend elections, branded the center-left leader Romano Prodi a "useful idiot" who "speaks like a drunkard". He then complained that opposition had insulted him in every way possible.

Prodi, who ended his five-year period as president of the European Commission to lead Italy`s "Unity" coalition, joked that he did not have enough time to list all the insults Mr. Berlusconi had thrown at him. "He has called me a poor fellow and a coward," Prodi added.

Quoting Irish dramatist George Bernard Shaw, Prodi accused the PM of "using statistics the way a drunkard uses a lamp post - more for support than illumination." Berlusconi responded sharply at this and said, "It`s you who speaks like a drunkard!" The TV duel turned to class warfare when Mr Berlusconi accused the Left of plotting to redistribute wealth.