As Italian lawmakers failed to agree on a choice for the country’s next president, as some cast prank ballots for porn star Rocco Siffredi and actress Sophia Loren.
Parliament speaker Laura Boldrini was quick to point out - and not tongue-in-cheek - that Siffredi “does not have the prerequisites”, Italian media reported.
At 48, the actor is below the age threshold of 50 to be president.
Silvio Berlusconi’s wife Veronica Lario also appeared in the voting, along with buxom starlet Valeria Marini - a namesake of serious presidential candidate Franco Marini.
“I’m flattered!” said Valeria Marini, adding: “I know it was ironic but I’m still pleased”.
She still declined and said: “It’s important that the right choice is made. The president is a lynchpin.” As the names were read out, there were peals of laughter and bursts of applause in parliament - despite the gravity of the moment as a two-month political crisis drags on.
One prankster even cast a ballot for a fictional character, Raffaello Mascetti - a hard-up aristocrat played by the beloved and deceased comic actor Ugo Tognazzi.
In a football-mad country some reference to the beautiful game was unavoidable - a vote cast for former Italy national coach Giovanni Trapattoni.
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