This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/02/world/europe/intraparty-divisions-imperil-berlusconis-long-hold-on-power.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Intraparty Divisions Imperil Berlusconi’s Long Hold on Power Internal Dissent Imperils Berlusconi’s Long Reign Atop His Party
(about 2 hours later)
ROME — For two decades, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has not just led Italy’s powerful center-right political movement; he has practically owned it. A billionaire media mogul, he has bankrolled campaigns and vetted his party’s candidates. His power has been so absolute that even at age 77, he still has not truly groomed a successor.ROME — For two decades, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has not just led Italy’s powerful center-right political movement; he has practically owned it. A billionaire media mogul, he has bankrolled campaigns and vetted his party’s candidates. His power has been so absolute that even at age 77, he still has not truly groomed a successor.
But now with Italy facing a new political crisis that could threaten the relative stability of the battered 17-nation euro zone, Mr. Berlusconi, who must begin serving a sentence for tax fraud this month, may finally be facing a rebellion. Crucial lieutenants are balking at his effort to bring down Italy’s fragile coalition government, and Mr. Berlusconi’s actions are increasingly viewed as those of a desperate man willing to do almost anything to save himself. But now with Italy facing a new political crisis that could threaten the relative stability of the battered 17-nation euro zone, Mr. Berlusconi, who must begin serving a sentence for tax fraud this month, could be facing a full-blown rebellion. Crucial lieutenants are balking at his effort to bring down Italy’s fragile coalition government, and Mr. Berlusconi’s actions are increasingly viewed as those of a desperate man willing to do almost anything to save himself.
The showdown could come on Wednesday in Italy’s Parliament, where Prime Minister Enrico Letta is expected to call for a government confidence vote after Mr. Berlusconi tried to bring down the government last weekend by ordering the five ministers from his party to quit the coalition. The ministers did so, but not happily. Now, the question is whether they and other center-right lawmakers will support the government in the confidence vote, but, in doing so, buck their leader, Mr. Berlusconi, who wants fresh elections. The showdown will come on Wednesday in Italy’s Parliament, where Prime Minister Enrico Letta is expected to call for a government confidence vote after Mr. Berlusconi tried to bring down the government last weekend by ordering the five ministers from his party to quit the coalition. The ministers did so, but not happily, and Mr. Letta has since rejected the resignations. Now, several center-right lawmakers, including the five ministers, have signaled they will support the government in the confidence vote, but, in doing so, buck their leader, Mr. Berlusconi, who wants fresh elections.
“That is the key question,” said Franco Pavoncello, president of John Cabot University in Rome and an expert on Italian politics. “I don’t know if they have the guts to do it.” “This is a major, major political development,” said Franco Pavoncello, president of John Cabot University in Rome and an expert on Italian politics. “This is a split.”
Italian politics has a turbulent, baroque flair even when little is at stake, but analysts agree that much is at stake now. European leaders are desperate to maintain political stability and regard Italy with special concern, since it has the third-largest economy on the Continent and is mired in a prolonged recession. Germany’s prime minister, Angela Merkel, called Mr. Letta on Monday to offer her support, while Olli Rehn, vice president of the European Commission, also expressed concerns. Italian politics has a turbulent, baroque flair even when little is at stake, but analysts agree that much is at stake now. European leaders are desperate to maintain stability and regard Italy with concern, since it has the third-largest economy on the Continent and is mired in a prolonged recession. Germany’s prime minister, Angela Merkel, called Mr. Letta on Monday to offer her support, while Olli Rehn, vice president of the European Commission, also expressed concern.
“What happens in the country doesn’t stop at its borders but is felt throughout the European Union,” Mr. Rehn said, according to Ansa, an Italian news agency. “So my hope is for the return of political stability as soon as possible in order to take the decisions necessary for the return of growth and employment.”“What happens in the country doesn’t stop at its borders but is felt throughout the European Union,” Mr. Rehn said, according to Ansa, an Italian news agency. “So my hope is for the return of political stability as soon as possible in order to take the decisions necessary for the return of growth and employment.”
But also hanging in the balance is the long reign of Mr. Berlusconi in Italian politics. He has said that he is leaving the government because Mr. Letta has done too little to roll back a new value-added tax. But most analysts believe he is maneuvering to escape his latest and most serious legal troubles, which are threatening to end his career and endanger his business empire after two decades of largely dodging sex and corruption scandals. But also hanging in the balance is the long reign of Mr. Berlusconi in Italian politics. His charisma, money and political savvy have held the center right together for years, analysts say. He has said that he is now leaving the government because Mr. Letta has done too little to roll back a new value-added tax. But most analysts believe he is maneuvering to escape his latest and most serious legal troubles, which are threatening to end his career and endanger his business empire after two decades of largely dodging sex and corruption scandals.
His recent conviction on tax fraud means that he must begin a one-year sentence on Oct. 15 (he is expected to serve it under house arrest). On Friday, a special Senate commission will resume deliberations to expel him from his current Senate seat. And a court in Milan is expected to soon decide how many years Mr. Berlusconi will be banned from seeking any kind of public office, based on his tax fraud conviction. Meanwhile, a $500 million fine was upheld against his financial empire. His recent conviction on tax fraud means that he must begin a one-year sentence on Oct. 15 (he is expected to serve it under house arrest). On Friday, a special Senate commission will resume deliberations to expel him from his current Senate seat. And a court in Milan is expected to soon decide how many years Mr. Berlusconi will be banned from seeking public office, based on his tax fraud conviction. A fine of about 500 million euros was upheld against his financial empire.
His loyalists have blamed a politically biased judiciary for his troubles, but they have been divided on how to respond. Some party insiders say that Mr. Berlusconi is deeply concerned that should be expelled from the Senate — and thus stripped of certain parliamentary privileges against prosecution — he would be more vulnerable to other investigations against him. His loyalists have blamed a politically biased judiciary for his troubles, but they have been divided on how to respond. Some party insiders say that Mr. Berlusconi is deeply concerned that should he be expelled from the Senate — and thus stripped of certain parliamentary privileges against prosecution — he would be more vulnerable to other investigations against him.
In ordering his ministers to step down last weekend, Mr. Berlusconi sided with hawks in his camp who have pushed him to remove his party’s support from the coalition government and force new elections to win a public mandate. But another camp of followers has been increasingly vocal that bringing down the government would be irresponsible and could lead to a trouncing at the polls. In ordering his ministers to step down last weekend, Mr. Berlusconi sided with hawks in his camp who have pushed him to remove his party’s support from the coalition government and force new elections to win a public mandate. But another camp has been increasingly vocal that bringing down the government would be irresponsible and could lead to a trouncing at the polls.
On Tuesday, Mr. Berlusconi met with his longtime ally, Angelino Alfano, to discuss a way forward. Mr. Alfano had been deputy prime minister in the coalition government before stepping down on Mr. Berlusconi’s orders, and analysts have questioned whether he might lead a breakaway group to support the government. By late Tuesday, it seemed likely that Mr. Berlusconi’s followers would splinter, after a long meeting concluded with Mr. Berlusconi still pushing for a no-confidence vote, according to Ansa. Many of his supporters were signaling that they would back the government.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the Italian news media quoted Mr. Alfano as saying it was still his hope that his party would ultimately support Mr. Letta. Other center-right leaders were also openly talking of breaking from Mr. Berlusconi to keep the government intact, even as meetings continued late Tuesday night. After meeting with Mr. Berlusconi earlier in the day, Angelino Alfano, a longtime ally and the deputy prime minister in the coalition government, announced on his Facebook page that he hoped the entire party would support the government. Others voiced similar sentiments, with predictions that Mr. Berlusconi might lose dozens of members of his party, or more.
Mr. Berlusconi had already met with leaders of his party on Monday night, seeking unity. Instead, fissures became obvious; when one disgruntled party leader, Fabrizio Cicchitto, tried to voice dissent, Mr. Berlusconi ignored him, Italian news outlets reported. Mr. Berlusconi had already met with leaders of his party on Monday night, seeking unity. Instead, fissures became obvious; when one party leader, Fabrizio Cicchitto, tried to voice dissent, Mr. Berlusconi ignored him, Italian news outlets reported.
“I hope that we will correct the political error we made withdrawing the ministers and that we go forward so that there is a government,” Mr. Cicchitto added on Tuesday, according to Ansa. “I hope that we will correct the political error we made withdrawing the ministers and that we go forward so that there is a government,” Mr. Cicchitto said on Tuesday, according to Ansa.
The pressure on Mr. Berlusconi to reverse course — or for his followers to desert him — is coming from many directions. Business leaders have warned that the Italian economy could suffer another major blow, even as new statistics show that industrial production is slumping and youth unemployment has topped 40 percent. The pressure on Mr. Berlusconi to reverse course — or for his followers to desert him — is coming from many directions. Business leaders have warned that the Italian economy could suffer another blow, even as new statistics show that industrial production is slumping and youth unemployment has topped 40 percent.
Moreover, Italy must complete a budget plan by the middle of month so that it can be submitted to Brussels for approval. Missing this deadline could bring serious penalties from European officials and damage Italian credibility.Moreover, Italy must complete a budget plan by the middle of month so that it can be submitted to Brussels for approval. Missing this deadline could bring serious penalties from European officials and damage Italian credibility.
Meanwhile, many of Mr. Berlusconi’s supporters are conservative Roman Catholics, and the Vatican’s newspaper, L’Osservatorio Romano, published a blistering front-page editorial that said provoking the crisis was “irresponsible” and could damage “the credibility of the entire Italian political class.” Meanwhile, many of Mr. Berlusconi’s supporters are conservative Roman Catholics, and the Vatican’s newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, published a blistering front-page editorial that said provoking the crisis was “irresponsible” and could damage “the credibility of the entire Italian political class.”
Yet Mr. Berlusconi has almost never been challenged within his own movement. Gianfranco Fini, a former ally, left him three years ago to form a moderate party, but has largely disappeared, at least politically. Mr. Berlusconi has almost never been challenged within his own movement. Gianfranco Fini, a former ally, left him three years ago to form a moderate party, but has largely disappeared, at least politically.
“On the center-right, you don’t have a party,” said Sergio Fabbrini, a leading political analyst in Rome. “You have a personal company.”“On the center-right, you don’t have a party,” said Sergio Fabbrini, a leading political analyst in Rome. “You have a personal company.”
Elisabetta Povoledo contributed from Rome.

Elisabetta Povoledo contributed reporting.