Political Crisis in Italy: Berlusconi discusses an early election

Italy, November 16, 2010

After the resignation of several public officials yesterday, sources close to Silvio Berlusconi said that if he should not get the vote of confidence from parliament, elections would be advanced.

Italian Prime Minister suffered a serious blow yesterday when several officials of the political line of Gianfranco Fini, Berlusconi’s former ally, resigned.

That is why the Italian government will seek a reaffirmation by the Senate. Ignazio La Russa, Minister of Defence, said: “If we do not get the vote of confidence from Parliament, it will be the voters who will decide.”

The official ruled out the possibility of forming a coalition or transition government under the leadership of the current Prime Minister, who took over in 2008 by the People of Freedom party.

The facts of yesterday triggered the biggest political crisis since the fall of Romano Prodi’s government in 2008 (caused by a controversial election in 2006 and the loss of support of parliament).

Problems in the neofacista-conservative coalition led by Berlusconi began when the leader of the first part, Gianfranco Fini, began to withdraw its support for the Prime Minister, after his wife asked him to divorce because of his infidelities with an 18-year old.

The center-left, led by the Democratic Party (PD), took advantage of these lapses in government and presented a motion of censure against the President of Council of Ministers Berlusconi.

Apart but be aware is the President Giulio Napolitano (from Left Democrats, allied with the PD), who can operate as he did during the crisis of Prodi and call for elections for one or both houses of parliament or find a new prime minister.