It looks as though the effort to get Silvio Berlusconi a Nobel Peace Prize may come to nothing in light of these new pictures showing Berlusconi with topless women in Sardinia.
While the Italian prime minister is known to be a personality, it remains to be seen whether he will be permanently tarnished by these photos or not.
Sometimes known as the teflon man, as nothing ever sticks, despite what some see as irreparable damage to Italy’s international image, Berlusconi has so far been incredibly resilient.
This is likely thanks to a complex political and electoral system, incompetent opposition and the undying belief of many Italians that their “Premier” is a boyish hero who works for the country’s good.
The exuberant, comic Berlusconi image may take a battering, as the photos which were sequestered by a Roman court, are made public.
The photographer, Antonello Zappadu, had previously sold these to a foreign news agency, which is why the Spanish newspaper El Pais is now publishing them.
After the Naomi Letizia scandal, you can now see Berlusconi at his Sardinian residence with topless girls, nude men and bodyguards armed to the eyeballs.
The political time bomb that was ticking, may now have exploded, just before the 2009 European Elections this weekend.
For more pics, see after the jump.