IT HAS not been a good year for Silvio Berlusconi. His wife left him, he had a string of scandals and he lost a fight to give himself legal immunity. On December 13th it got worse. At a rally in Milan a man with a history of mental instability hit him at short range with a model of the city’s cathedral. It broke Mr Berlusconi’s nose and two of his teeth. He lost half a litre of blood and was still in hospital three days later. A wave of sympathy ensued with even enemies impressed by his spirited response. But the compassion waned as some supporters blamed the attack on a climate of hostility created by judges, rivals and the media. The interior minister said the cabinet might block internet sites that praised the assailant and curb some demonstrations. That risks making Italian politics even more polarised.
