Berlusconi Resigns as P.M.

At least he stuck to his word. After vowing to step down as soon as Italy's Parliament passed an austerity package demanded by the European Union, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi resigned on Saturday. Having dominated the country's politics for 17 years, Berlusconi's premiership has recently been marred by scandals, from his bunga-bunga parties to his country's role in the euro-zone debt crisis, which ultimately led to his ouster. Berlusconi was booed en route to the presidential palace to make his resignation official, with demonstrators calling him a "buffoon" and an impromptu orchestra and choir gathered outside his presidential palace singing the "Hallelujah" chorus. He is expected to appoint technocrat Mario Monti as successor.