Berlusconi serenades voters ahead of election

Published on 03/02/2006 01:18

ITALY'S prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, whose opinion poll ratings are flagging ahead of April's general election, has gone on live radio to sing his new love ballad, Chocolate and Samba, to the nation.

Mr Berlusconi, 69, a millionaire media tycoon, has been criticised in recent weeks for a non-stop round of television appearances, which he has been making in an effort to boost his chances of staying in power.

But this time, he switched to a different medium, appearing on the show Rock with DJ Ringo on Rome-based Radio 105.

During his interview, the prime minister, a former cruise ship singer, suddenly broke into song, crooning:

You are chocolate and coffee, you know that I would die for you

The samba that you have within you comes to me as I come to you.

Afterwards, Mr Berlusconi told listeners he had written it with his song-writing friend Mariano Apicella. And there was no false modesty from him. "The whole song is lovely," he said.

Two years ago, he released an album of love songs written with Mr Apicella and another is due out later this year.

Mr Berlusconi also revealed that he preferred the Beatles to the Rolling Stones and Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley.

Meanwhile, it emerged yesterday that the Italian leader had taken a telephone call from his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, after claiming he would be abstaining from sex until after the April election.

Mr Putin called to ask if it was true, and was reportedly told: "My dear Vladimir, some things are said in jest and that was one of those things said in jest."