Berlusconi battles to maintain government
Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi held last-minute talks today with the leader of a rebel centrist party in hopes of patching up divisions that have brought his four-year government to the brink of collapse.
Later in the day, Berlusconi was set to meet Italy’s president to discuss the government’s chances of survival.
The talks in Rome between the premier and Marco Follini, leader of the Union of Christian Democrats, or UDC, follow days of tensions between the two allies. They come two weeks after a crushing defeat at regional elections plunged the conservatives into the current turmoil.
The UDC on Friday pulled its ministers out of the Cabinet and is demanding Berlusconi form a fresh government with a new platform in response to the regional vote defeat.
Berlusconi has resisted the move, dismissing such a tactic as a remnant of Italy’s messy political past. Today, Italian papers said Berlusconi would push for early elections if he was forced to resign.
At the afternoon meeting with President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi in Rome, Berlusconi was expected to submit the formal resignation of Follini, who serves as deputy premier, the party’s three ministers and other top officials.
But the premier might also announce his own resignation.
If Berlusconi resigns, it’s up to the president to decide whether to ask Berlusconi – or another candidate – to form a new government, or else dissolve parliament and call early elections.
Before meeting with Follini, Berlusconi held talks with his other key allies: On Sunday evening the Northern League, which is standing by the premier; on Monday morning the right-wing National Alliance, the second largest coalition party, which has been critical of Berlusconi but is now reportedly trying to mediate.
After the centre-right’s collapse in the April 3-4 regional vote, Berlusconi had proposed a Cabinet reshuffle and a revised program to relaunch the coalition ahead of the general vote next year. The proposal has been rejected by the UDC.
Berlusconi heads Italy’s longest-serving post-war government. He hopes his government will become the first one to serve out the full five-year term, due to expire in 2006.
