For weeks La Repubblica has repeatedly printed ten questions it has asked Silvio Berlusconi to answer about his relationship with Noemi Letizia. Yesterday it updated those questions:

1 When did you first meet Ms Letizia? On how many occasions did you meet her? And where did you meet her? Have you ever consorted with, or do you still consort with, underage girls?

2 What was the precise reason that prevented you from telling the truth during the past two months, causing you to provide four versions of how you came to know Ms Letizia before making two tardy admissions?

3 Do you not believe that it is a serious matter, for Italian democracy and for your leadership, that you rewarded the girls who called you Papi with political candidacies and promises of political responsibility?

4 You spent the night of November 4, 2008, with a prostitute. According to magistrates’ investigations dozens of call girls were brought to your residences. Did you know that these girls were prostitutes? If you did not know, are you able to give assurances that those encounters in no way made you vulnerable or laid you open to blackmail — as demonstrated for example by the recordings made by Patrizia D’Addario and the photographs by Barbara Montereale?

5 Have official state aircraft ever been used to fly female guests to parties at your residences without you on board?

6 Are you absolutely certain that your relationships have in no way compromised affairs of State? Can you reassure this country and its allies that no woman guest of yours has in their hands today means of blackmail that might in any way affect your political autonomy on internal or international matters?

7 Your behaviour is in contradiction with your politics. Would you still feel able to take part in Family Day or to sign a law punishing the clients of a prostitute? [Such a law has been proposed but delayed]

8 Do you believe you will still be able to stand for election as President of Italy? And if you do not, do you believe that someone whom public opinion believes to be unfit for the Quirinal palace should be allowed to perform the functions of Prime Minister?

9 You spoke of being threatened by a “subversive plot”. Can you guarantee that you have never used, nor wish to use, the intelligence services or the police against witnesses, magistrates or journalists?

10 In the light of all that has emerged over the past two months, what is your state of health?

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