Turbulent Italian Presidency comes to an end

In two days, the EU will slip gratefully out of the Italian Presidency and into the hands of what is set to be a more prosaic Ireland.

It will mark the end of a six-month stint in the second half of 2003 which has seen the European Union headed by Italy’s unpredictable perma-tanned millionaire Silvio Berlusconi.

When Italian Prime Minister took over at the EU helm on 1 July, Europe was still suffering from the rifts caused by the Iraq war and was hoping to broker a deal on an