Policies of Silvio Berlusconi despite the policy divide between the U.S. and many founding members of the European Union (Germany, France, Belgium) during the Bush administration. Under his lead the Italian Government also shifted its traditional position on foreign policy from being the most pro-Arab western government towards a greater friendship with Israel and Turkey (Silvio Berlusconi acted as wedding witness for the son of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) than in the past, hence rebalancing relations with all the Mediterranean countries to reach "equal closeness" with them. Berlusconi is one of the strongest supporters of Turkey's application to accede to the
Domestic policy of the Nicolas Sarkozy administration government's mandate. Therefore, the president can be more implicated in the governmental policy. It was the case with Nicolas Sarkozy, who has been accused of being a "hyper-president" by his opponents. François Fillon appeared as too much submitted to the president. Nicolas Sarkozy had promised during the presidential campaign many reforms. He announced the government would be very dynamic. He pledged to completely revamp the higher education system, to overhaul the judiciary system, judged as too ancient, to lead profound fiscal and economic reforms, and to revise the integration and social benefits system. He pledged to create ministries dedicated to