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| Silvio Berlusconi renews rightwing alliance ahead of Italian elections | Silvio Berlusconi renews rightwing alliance ahead of Italian elections |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| The former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has renewed an alliance with his erstwhile coalition partners in the Northern League, raising the chances that next month's election will yield no outright winner and yet more political instability. | The former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has renewed an alliance with his erstwhile coalition partners in the Northern League, raising the chances that next month's election will yield no outright winner and yet more political instability. |
| In a move unlikely to reassure the markets, the 76-year-old media magnate said that if the rightwing coalition were to win he would be happy with the role of finance minister. Given Berlusconi's latest poll ratings, such an outcome is unlikely. | |
| "The premier will be decided if we win," he told Italian radio, explaining that he would stand in the election as the coalition's "leader of moderates" and that his People of Freedom (PdL) party would support Roberto Maroni, de-facto head of the regionalist League, as governor of the Lombardy region around Milan, one of the country's chief battlegrounds. | "The premier will be decided if we win," he told Italian radio, explaining that he would stand in the election as the coalition's "leader of moderates" and that his People of Freedom (PdL) party would support Roberto Maroni, de-facto head of the regionalist League, as governor of the Lombardy region around Milan, one of the country's chief battlegrounds. |
| The League, which campaigns for tighter restrictions on immigration and greater fiscal autonomy for northern Italy, had been holding out against an alliance with Berlusconi, insisting it would only lend him its support if he vowed not to use it to run for a fourth term as prime minister. | The League, which campaigns for tighter restrictions on immigration and greater fiscal autonomy for northern Italy, had been holding out against an alliance with Berlusconi, insisting it would only lend him its support if he vowed not to use it to run for a fourth term as prime minister. |
| Reflecting the drawn-out negotiations which have led to the deal, Berlusconi unveiled the deal by declaring "Habemus papam" – a term usually reserved for the announcement of a new pope. He had signed an agreement with Maroni in the early hours of Monday morning, he said. | Reflecting the drawn-out negotiations which have led to the deal, Berlusconi unveiled the deal by declaring "Habemus papam" – a term usually reserved for the announcement of a new pope. He had signed an agreement with Maroni in the early hours of Monday morning, he said. |
| According to an opinion poll published on Sunday in the Corriere della Sera, the united forces of Berlusconi's PdL and the League are on course to win only 26-28% of the vote, despite the billionaire politician's repeated declaration that he will again exceed 40%. | According to an opinion poll published on Sunday in the Corriere della Sera, the united forces of Berlusconi's PdL and the League are on course to win only 26-28% of the vote, despite the billionaire politician's repeated declaration that he will again exceed 40%. |
| The centrist coalition led by the technocrat prime minister Mario Monti stands to win around 14-15% of the vote, according to the poll, with the comedian Beppe Grillo's Five Star Movement on 13-14%. | The centrist coalition led by the technocrat prime minister Mario Monti stands to win around 14-15% of the vote, according to the poll, with the comedian Beppe Grillo's Five Star Movement on 13-14%. |
| A centre-left bloc led by the Partito Democratico (PD) is far ahead on 38-39% but Berlusconi's announcement threatens the possibility of an outright victory for the party and its leader, Pier Luigi Bersani. While they look set to dominate in the lower house of parliament they could now be blocked in the Senate by the rightwing coalition. That prospect could well see the PD seek the services of Monti to form a governing coalition, a scenario that would please the markets and other EU leaders, many of whom want the former European commissioner to stay at the helm of Italy as it continues to battle the eurozone crisis and recession. | A centre-left bloc led by the Partito Democratico (PD) is far ahead on 38-39% but Berlusconi's announcement threatens the possibility of an outright victory for the party and its leader, Pier Luigi Bersani. While they look set to dominate in the lower house of parliament they could now be blocked in the Senate by the rightwing coalition. That prospect could well see the PD seek the services of Monti to form a governing coalition, a scenario that would please the markets and other EU leaders, many of whom want the former European commissioner to stay at the helm of Italy as it continues to battle the eurozone crisis and recession. |
| Since declaring his intention to take part in the election in order to keep Italy on the road to fiscal discipline and economic recovery, Monti, 69, has abandoned much of his studiously apolitical image. He has engaged in multiple television and radio interviews and even a live Twitter Q&A session in which – to the dismay of some supporters – he used smiley emoticons and the thoroughly unprofessorial exclamation "wow!" He has also sharpened his criticism of Berlusconi, describing him as politically and personally volatile and drawing attention to the former prime minister's often contradictory statements. | Since declaring his intention to take part in the election in order to keep Italy on the road to fiscal discipline and economic recovery, Monti, 69, has abandoned much of his studiously apolitical image. He has engaged in multiple television and radio interviews and even a live Twitter Q&A session in which – to the dismay of some supporters – he used smiley emoticons and the thoroughly unprofessorial exclamation "wow!" He has also sharpened his criticism of Berlusconi, describing him as politically and personally volatile and drawing attention to the former prime minister's often contradictory statements. |
| But Berlusconi, whose party supported the technocratic government until November, has returned the criticism, calling Monti a "minor leader" and questioning his credibility. On Monday he reiterated his criticism, telling Italian radio: "The technocrats have done the country damage. After a year of government there is not one positive economic indicator." | But Berlusconi, whose party supported the technocratic government until November, has returned the criticism, calling Monti a "minor leader" and questioning his credibility. On Monday he reiterated his criticism, telling Italian radio: "The technocrats have done the country damage. After a year of government there is not one positive economic indicator." |
| The election is scheduled for 24 and 25 February. | The election is scheduled for 24 and 25 February. |