Berlusconi's coalition on brink of collapse

[BBond]

Looks like Silvio followed Georgie off a cliff.

Berlusconi facing government collapse

Sun Apr 17, 2005 1:43 PM BST

By Robin Pomeroy

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's government urged rebel ministers to return to the cabinet on Sunday to avert a collapse that would force elections that Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi would likely lose.

The future of Berlusconi's centre-right government has been in doubt since the centrist Union of Christian Democrats (UDC) walked out on Friday demanding sweeping policy changes after the coalition suffered heavy losses at a regional election.

If Berlusconi cannot coax the UDC back with promises of new measures to boost the ailing economy and help poorer Italians, he has said he will dissolve the government, forcing a general election a full year ahead of schedule.

 

[Genx87]

So tell me how is this good for you?

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Genx87
So tell me how is this good for you?

Where did BBond say it was good for him?

It's the Italian gov't in opposition to Berlusconi and the Italian people voting against the policies of Berlusconi. Probably a bit more to it than just the Iraq situation.

 

[BBond]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: Genx87
So tell me how is this good for you?

Where did BBond say it was good for him?

It's the Italian gov't in opposition to Berlusconi and the Italian people voting against the policies of Berlusconi. Probably a bit more to it than just the Iraq situation.

Looks like we'll get a chance to find out. I wonder what concessions Berlusconi made?

Italy's Berlusconi close to resolving crisis

Mon Apr 18, 2005 4:16 PM BST
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By Paolo Biondi and Gavin Jones

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's political crisis appeared over on Monday after the rebel Union of Christian Democrats party (UDC) said it had reached a deal with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to return to government.

Senior UDC member Rocco Buttiglione said Berlusconi had agreed to resign and then form a new government, despite the prime minister's reluctance to avoid formal dissolution of his four-year-old administration.

"The House of Freedoms has reached agreement on the main points," the former European affairs minister said, referring to Berlusconi's centre-right ruling coalition.

"We're heading for a second Berlusconi government along the lines indicated by our party."

Buttiglione, speaking as a coalition crisis meeting was under way, said "good news" would be announced soon.

Berlusconi was expected to go to President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi to tender his resignation and tell the president he can form a new government able to command a parliamentary majority.

Berlusconi's government had been on the verge of collapse since the UDC walked out on Friday demanding major policy changes after the centre-right coalition suffered heavy losses in regional elections.

Even if Berlusconi survives the threat of a snap general election that polls said he would lose, the row with the UDC and the need to step down, albeit briefly, before forming a new administration could weaken his political standing.

"A Berlusconi-2 would be akin to recognising that in four years of government the House of Freedoms has got everything wrong. It would be an enormous advantage to the UDC and the opposition," Turin's La Stampa daily said on Sunday.

POLITICAL MOUNTAIN

The deal gives Berlusconi a year to improve the centre-right's electoral prospects, dented by a stagnant economy and the battering that the latest infighting has dealt to the its standing.

A poll published in Corriere della Sera on Sunday gave the centre-left opposition, headed by former European Commission President Romano Prodi, a lead of 5 percentage points over the government.

A fresh sign of the mountain Berlusconi has to climb was provided by voters in the small southern region of Basilicata in a regional election held on Sunday and Monday, two weeks after he lost 11 of 13 regions that went to the polls around the country.

The centre-left won Basilicata with some 70 percent of the vote, exit polls indicated, increasing its majority and taking the overall tally of regions to 12-2 in the centre-left's favour.

As Berlusconi grappled with the political crisis, the International Monetary Fund warned Italy that sound economic policy and fiscal restraint must remain its top priority.

"Italy, above all in a period of political uncertainty, should formulate its economic policies with the maximum credibility and stability," Alessandro Leipold, IMF mission chief for Italy, told Reuters in an interview.

 

[Forsythe]

Berlusconi is one of the most corrupt politicians in existance. I'd allmost prefer Bush to him. I hope he falls.

 

[conjur]

Italian PM to form new government
Silvio Berlusconi will resign as Italy's prime minister and then accept a request to form a new coalition government, officials have said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4457161.stm

The moves would end growing political uncertainty in Italy and avoid the need for early elections.

Mr Berlusconi struck a deal with the Union of Christian Democrats (UDC), ending a crisis sparked by a string of poor results in recent elections.

The UDC pulled out of Italy's coalition after demanding key policy changes.

Mr Berlusconi was due to meet President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi later on Monday to present his formal resignation, before being asked to form a new government.

wow

 

[SuperTool]

Originally posted by: Genx87
So tell me how is this good for you?

One less neocon sympathiser in charge in Europe.

 

[chowderhead]

Originally posted by: conjur
Italian PM to form new government
Silvio Berlusconi will resign as Italy's prime minister and then accept a request to form a new coalition government, officials have said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4457161.stm

The moves would end growing political uncertainty in Italy and avoid the need for early elections.

Mr Berlusconi struck a deal with the Union of Christian Democrats (UDC), ending a crisis sparked by a string of poor results in recent elections.

The UDC pulled out of Italy's coalition after demanding key policy changes.

Mr Berlusconi was due to meet President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi later on Monday to present his formal resignation, before being asked to form a new government.

wow

why is this surprising? Italy has never had a stable government. Coalition governments breed complete messes. I believe no PM has served one full term (5 years) since WWI. Berlusconi was the longest serving PM until he met GWB.

 

[CanOWorms]

The party that withdrew and they're now negotiating with has well-known ultra far-right extreme supremacists who wish for the eradication of undesirables among their ranks. I wonder what the deal was... hopefully it's not a call for the return of the concentration camps "solution".

 

[BBond]

Berlusconi has resigned.

Berlusconi resigns as Italian PM

 

[shira]

Originally posted by: Forsythe
I'd allmost prefer Bush to him.

Me, too. Especially since I can't understand a word he says. But then, I don't speak Italian.