Berlusconi Talks Gay Marriage, Hitler

Embattled Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi unleashed an impromptu speech Sunday at a youth rally in which he joked about the resurgence of Adolf Hitler and advised young Italians to marry money, but only if the arrangement involves a partner of a different sex.

According to the U.K.'s Guardian, which provides video of the speech, “Appearing relaxed, if a little pale, before a crowd of cheering supporters yesterday, the frequently outspoken and gaffe-prone Italian prime minister promised to see out the end of his term, despite losing his guaranteed majority after a split with an ally, Gianfranco Fini.”

At one point, while the crowd laughed, the rambling billionaire media mogul said that he advised an attractive young woman, “Find yourself a rich man.”

“It wasn’t an unrealistic bit of advice and it is the same advice I give you, all you girls and also the boys, even though it is quite difficult, even they can do it,” he said.

“In that case, I am talking of finding a rich girlfriend instead of a boyfriend. Let’s be precise about this because otherwise the headline in La Repubblica will be ‘Berlusconi has become gay.’”

The Guardian reports that groups in Italy are calling on Berlusconi to apologize.