While historic events are shaking the Middle East… in Italy, people are shaking their heads… in disgust.

January, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi found himself in the middle of yet another sex scandal, this time involving an underage girl. Above is a video of the head of state himself calling a talk show to defend himself, er…insult the host.

Berlusconi is not new to scandals (we’ve counted at least 12 different ones). Yesterday, thousands of Italians attended rallies to protest the Prime Minister’s behavior. The crowds demanded a country where it was possible for women to live in dignity, playing Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”.

Does this point to a possible change in leadership? Well,not really, according to many. The women seem disgusted, but the husband of a protester said,

“People vote for him because he personifies defects that Italians have in their DNA. When you hear about what he does, 80 percent of men think, ‘I wish I were in his place.’”