Exit polls reported by Reuters ^[1] and Pajamas Media ^[2] are both showing the beginning of the end for Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right hodge-podge in Italy. The election of Romano Prodi’s center-left hodge-podge (from Roman Catholics to communists) had been predicted and seems to be coming true.

MEANWHILE in la douce France: Frère Jacques has acceded ^[3] to the wishes of the étudiants (of something) and union leaders and rescinded the new labor law encouraging businesses to hire youths by allowing those same businesses to fire those who don’t work out. Current youth unemployment stands at a disastrous 22%. The rates for non-white youth from the suburbs – the other rioters of late – are pushing fifty percent. But this one was clearly a white “bohemian” student rebellion – and they won. Democracy works in strange ways, non?

UPDATE: Things are looking slightly better ^[4] for Berlusconi.