This week saw the end of a rather interesting time in world politics. By the beez margin of one seat, Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s rather curious reign came to pass. What made his time in the limelight so fascinating was his continually dangerous proximity to the flames of controversy.

To say Silvio Berlusconi didn’t at least provide a weekly ‘WTF’ for the papers is like saying Bill Gates couldn’t afford to lose a couple billion dollars. The man could put together a highlight reel that could rival anything ESPN could muster. From comparing his achievements to those of the Napoleonic empire (why would an Italian compare himself to a Frenchman, anyway?) to suggesting his party toed the line of ‘jus primae noctis’, the man was definitely never short of a quote. But what more could you expect from the self-appointed ‘Jesus Christ of Italian politics’? Of course, why not take advantage of your infamy and publish a book containing a career’s worth of political insults. The BBC did a nice job of putting together a career best-of!

While we’re at it, what would you do if you were the leader of a European nation – well, any nation, really – and were put on trial for corruption? In an inspired move, Berlusconi tabled a bill to protect politicians from prosecution while in office and parliament. The bill was passed as law in mid 2003, granting immunity to five holders of key state posts. What were the chances the position of prime minister was of those? Shame the Constitutional Court overruled that law in 2004.

Speaking of changing the rules, let’s say you owned a television station… or maybe it was three. I forget. Anyway, you also wanted to privatise the state television network but don’t want it to interfere with your share of the market. What would you do in the hotseat? Whatever you like with a parliamentary majority. The Economist didn’t seem to agree in 2003.

Many would say he was a crook, and that he gained far more from his side of the political relationship than Italy did. Would I be so bold as to say he was just another politician who took advantage of the doors that can open with international power and the world’s fifth largest (declared) bankroll? Hey, the guy owns AC Milan. You can’t completely hate a soccer fan.