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Silvio Berlusconi reiterates call for grand coalition government in Italy Silvio Berlusconi reiterates call for grand coalition government in Italy
(35 minutes later)
Silvio Berlusconi has positioned himself as a benevolent statesman acting in the best interests of Italy as he reiterated his call for a grand coalition government with his opponents as a way of breaking the political deadlock following last month's election.
As he emerged on Friday from a meeting with President Giorgio Napolitano, the head of state who led a series of day closed-doors consultations with party representatives, Berlusconi said there was "no other solution" than a broad coalition government that included his own centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party. Silvio Berlusconi has positioned himself as a benevolent statesman acting in the best interests of Italy as he reiterated his call for a grand coalition government with his opponents to break the political deadlock after last month's election.
Touting it as a government of "professionalism and responsibility as well as common sense", the three-times prime minister said his right-wing alliance with the regionalist Northern League would accept centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani of the Democratic party (PD) as premier. As he emerged on Friday from a meeting with President Giorgio Napolitano, the head of state who has led a series of closed-doors consultations with party representatives, Berlusconi said there was "no other solution" than a broad coalition government that included his own centre-right Freedom People (PdL) party.
But a technocrat or "quasi-technocrat" government was unacceptable, he said, "given the negative and tragic experience" of the one led by Mario Monti, which still remains in charge in a caretaker capacity and will mark its 500th day in office this weekend. Touting it as a government of "professionalism and responsibility as well as common sense", the three-times prime minister said his right-wing alliance with the regionalist Northern League would accept Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of the centre-left Democratic party (PD), as premier.
Berlusconi, 76, has been advocating the formation of a PD-PdL government since the paralysingly inconclusive election results nearly five weeks ago. Bersani, whose party has an outright majority in one house of parliament but not in the other, has consistently been rejecting it, not least because of the billionaire media mogul's desire to exert influence over the selection of Napolitano's successor as head of state. But a technocrat or "quasi-technocrat" government was unacceptable, Berlusconi said, "given the negative and tragic experience" of the one led by Mario Monti, which is still in charge in a caretaker capacity and marks 500 days in office this weekend.
On Friday, even after the embattled PD head admitted to Napolitano on Thursday that he had not been able to find the numbers for a government, the party's stance appeared no different. "There are too many important issues in PdL policies that are light years from those of the Democratic party," Luigi Zanda, a senior PD official, told SkyTG television. It was still "very difficult", he added, to envisage the two historic enemies working together. Berlusconi, 76, has been advocating the formation of a PD-PdL government since the paralysingly inconclusive election results nearly five weeks ago. Bersani, whose party has an outright majority in one house of parliament but not in the other, has consistently rejected it, not least because of the billionaire media mogul's desire to exert influence over the selection of Napolitano's successor as head of state.
On Friday, even after the embattled PD head admitted to Napolitano on Thursday that he had not been able to find the numbers for a government, the party's stance appeared no different.
"There are too many important issues in PdL policies that are light years from those of the Democratic party," Luigi Zanda, a senior PD official, told SkyTG TV. It was still "very difficult", he said, to envisage the two historic enemies working together.
The anti-establishment Five Star Movement of former comedian Beppe Grillo, meanwhile, maintained its resolute opposition to giving its support to any government.The anti-establishment Five Star Movement of former comedian Beppe Grillo, meanwhile, maintained its resolute opposition to giving its support to any government.
Berlusconi's staunch opposition to the idea of another technocratic government threatened to rule out one scenario thought until now to be a likely outcome of the deadlock: a "government of the president" led by a well-known but less political figure that would have a relatively short-term and restricted remit of reform. One possible scenario would be a so-called "government of the president", led by a well-known but less political figure, which would have a relatively short-term and restricted remit of reform.
If neither that nor a broad coalition can be agreed on, Monti's mandate as caretaker prime minister could theoretically be extended. Napolitano is keen to avoid a quick return to the polls - something that could, theoretically, happen as soon as June. If neither that nor a broad coalition can be agreed on, Monti's mandate as caretaker prime minister could theoretically be extended. Napolitano is keen to avoid a quick return to the polls – which could, theoretically, happen as soon as June.
Berlusconi's PdL, meanwhile, is outperforming the PD is some recent polls, while attention in the PD is shifting to the mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, who, according to an SWG survey published on Friday, 66% of Italians would like to see at the helm of the centre-left in a new election. Berlusconi's PdL, meanwhile, is outperforming the PD in some recent polls, while attention in the PD is shifting to the mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, who, according to an SWG survey published on Friday, 66% of Italians would like to see at the helm of the centre-left in a new election.