Italian politicians joined the rest of the world in hailing the victory of Democrat Barack Obama in the United States presidential elections on Wednesday, describing it as a great show of American democracy in action.
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi congratulated Obama on his success ''after a difficult election campaign against a top-level rival''.
''I am absolutely convinced that the friendship and collaboration between our two countries will continue to expand and grow stronger,'' the premier said in his message.
He added that Italy remained ''a faithful, sincere and grateful ally of the US which has never forgotten the sacrifice of so many young American lives to give back freedom and dignity to Italy and Europe''.
Berlusconi, one of outgoing President George W. Bush's strongest allies in Europe and a close personal friend, later told the press that when he meets with Obama ''I can certainly give him some advice given my age and experience''.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano called Obama's victory ''a great day''.
''For us Italians who feel intimately linked on the historical and political, cultural and human level with the American people,'' Napolitano said in a message to Obama, ''this is a great day''.
''We draw from your victory, and from the spirit of unity which accompanies it, new reasons for hope and confidence for the cause of liberty, peace and a safer and fairer world order''.
Napolitano said he and the Italian people were ''profoundly impressed by the unparalleled proof of strength and vitality which American democracy has given us, thanks to an unprecedented participation in the electoral campaign and the vote and thanks to the very widespread support for a programme rich in ideals and commitments for renewal''.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told Italian TV that Obama's victory will boost alliances with Italy and the rest of Europe.
Frattini said Obama ''loves Italy, he said that and he has repeated it''.
The minister added that he did not expect ''epochal change'' but expected Obama to ask for more commitment from Europe through NATO, especially in Afghanistan.
'CAN CHANGE THE WORLD'.
The leader of Italy's largest opposition party, Walter Veltroni of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), sent a message to Obama saying his election victory could ''change the world''.
Veltroni called Obama's win ''an extraordinary event, a full-fledged change destined to go down in the history of your country and modify, like a great wind, the hopes and arrangements of the world''.
He said Obama represented ''new leadership and new ideas capable of winning the hearts and minds of Americans and affirming a vision of the world composed of progress, solidarity, equality and sustainable development''.
The only dissenting voice in the choir appeared to be the Senate leader of Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom Party (PdL), who caused a storm by suggesting that al Qaeda might be happier with Barack Obama in the White House.
Maurizio Gasparri, a member of the rightwing National Alliance, claimed there were ''serious doubts'' hanging over Obama.
''With Obama in the White House, perhaps al Qaeda is happier,'' Gasparri said on Italian radio.
The centre-left opposition called on Gasparri to apologise and demanded to know whether his statement ''in any way'' reflected the government's views.
Gasparri later backtracked on his comments, explaining that he was ''still convinced that Republican policies are more determined in fighting international terrorism''.
FREE OBAMA PIZZA IN NAPLES.
Neapolitans meanwhile had an extra reason to celebrate Obama's win as the Italy For Obama committee handed out special free pizza.
''It's a half-Neapolitan and half-American pizza, with the classic Margherita sharing the plate with hot dogs and fries,''explained Naples provincial councillor and committee promoter Francesco Borrelli.
''It's a nice way of declaring our solidarity with Barack Obama, the protagonist of a historic event,'' he said.
