All Intensive Purposes

A surprise promise from Silvio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister, to abolish a significant property tax rebounded on the Italian premier yesterday as his centre-left opponents ridiculed it as a transparent pre-election gimmick.

"What will Berlusconi be promising on April 7 in his final election appeal? A yacht for everybody? The moon?" asked Alfonso Scanio, leader of the opposition Greens party.

. . . Mr. Prodi was scathing in his criticism. "There is no way the voters will believe in such fibs," he told Sky TG24 television.

Tony Barber, "Prodi seizes on shock Berlusconi tax pledge," Financial Times 2 (April 5, 2006).