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| Italy's Pier Luigi Bersani asked by president to try to form government | Italy's Pier Luigi Bersani asked by president to try to form government |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| President Giorgio Napolitano made a first attempt at resolving Italy's political gridlock as he asked the centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani to see if he had enough support to form a government out of the inconclusive results of last month's parliamentary election. | President Giorgio Napolitano made a first attempt at resolving Italy's political gridlock as he asked the centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani to see if he had enough support to form a government out of the inconclusive results of last month's parliamentary election. |
| Almost a month after Italians went to the polls, the 87-year-old head of state said on Friday that the beleaguered Democratic party (PD) chief was best placed to try to create a government out of the country's fractured party political landscape. | Almost a month after Italians went to the polls, the 87-year-old head of state said on Friday that the beleaguered Democratic party (PD) chief was best placed to try to create a government out of the country's fractured party political landscape. |
| Speaking at the Quirinale Palace after meeting Bersani, Napolitano said the decision marked the beginning of a "decisive phase" for Italy. | Speaking at the Quirinale Palace after meeting Bersani, Napolitano said the decision marked the beginning of a "decisive phase" for Italy. |
| He stressed that Bersani would need to find out if he could attain a secure majority in both houses of parliament. The PD leader said he would start work immediately but added: "I will take the time that is needed. It is a difficult situation." | He stressed that Bersani would need to find out if he could attain a secure majority in both houses of parliament. The PD leader said he would start work immediately but added: "I will take the time that is needed. It is a difficult situation." |
| The task ahead is tough and it remains unclear how Bersani, a former communist with a track record of reform, will find the backing he needs. If he cannot, Napolitano may feel a caretaker government led by a high-profile figure is the only solution. In that scenario, fresh elections would almost certainly be held later this year. | The task ahead is tough and it remains unclear how Bersani, a former communist with a track record of reform, will find the backing he needs. If he cannot, Napolitano may feel a caretaker government led by a high-profile figure is the only solution. In that scenario, fresh elections would almost certainly be held later this year. |
| Since the shock results of 25 February, Bersani has repeatedly attempted to win support from outside the PD for a limited agenda of reform, focusing on issues such as corruption, electoral reform and jobs. However, the 61-year-old has failed to appeal to political forces outside the PD, and has also had to face discontent from within his own party, which is furious that a double-digit lead in the polls was almost erased after a lacklustre campaign. | Since the shock results of 25 February, Bersani has repeatedly attempted to win support from outside the PD for a limited agenda of reform, focusing on issues such as corruption, electoral reform and jobs. However, the 61-year-old has failed to appeal to political forces outside the PD, and has also had to face discontent from within his own party, which is furious that a double-digit lead in the polls was almost erased after a lacklustre campaign. |
| Many suspect that with the young mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, at the helm, the PD would have attracted those voters who ended up casting their ballots for the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S). The PD-led centre-left coalition has an outright majority in the lower house of parliament, or chamber, but only leads a centre-right bloc headed by Silvio Berlusconi's Freedom People (PdL) party by a handful of seats in the senate. | Many suspect that with the young mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, at the helm, the PD would have attracted those voters who ended up casting their ballots for the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S). The PD-led centre-left coalition has an outright majority in the lower house of parliament, or chamber, but only leads a centre-right bloc headed by Silvio Berlusconi's Freedom People (PdL) party by a handful of seats in the senate. |
| It is the M5S, founded by the former comedian Beppe Grillo, which holds the balance of power – but Grillo has ruled out backing a Bersani-led administration in the vote needed to form a government. Bersani, for his part, has ruled out forming a grand coalition with the centre-right. | It is the M5S, founded by the former comedian Beppe Grillo, which holds the balance of power – but Grillo has ruled out backing a Bersani-led administration in the vote needed to form a government. Bersani, for his part, has ruled out forming a grand coalition with the centre-right. |
| The paralysis in the eurozone's third-largest economy continues to unnerve foreign observers. Earlier this week the Swedish finance minister, Anders Borg, said there was a "significant risk to the world economy" from prolonged political uncertainty in Italy. | The paralysis in the eurozone's third-largest economy continues to unnerve foreign observers. Earlier this week the Swedish finance minister, Anders Borg, said there was a "significant risk to the world economy" from prolonged political uncertainty in Italy. |
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