(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The proportion of people in Italy who express confidence in the country’s prime minister has decreased, according to a poll by IPR Marketing published in La Repubblica. 52 per cent of respondents say they trust Silvio Berlusconi, down four points since January.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The proportion of people in Italy who express confidence in the country’s prime minister has decreased, according to a poll by IPR Marketing published in La Repubblica. 52 per cent of respondents say they trust Silvio Berlusconi, down four points since January.
Italian voters renewed the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in April 2008. Final results gave Berlusconi’s right-wing coalition—encompassing the Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL), the Northern League (LN), and the Movement for Autonomy (MPA)—344 seats in the lower house, and 174 seats in the upper house. The victory put an end to the government of the centre-left Union (Unione), headed by Romano Prodi.
Berlusconi was sworn in as the country’s new head of government in May 2008. He had previously served as prime minister from May 1994 to January 1995, and from June 2001 to May 2006.
Earlier this month, the National Alliance (AN)—a political party with fascist roots—was officially dissolved and merged with Berlusconi’s PdL. The AN has been a steady supporter of the prime minister and was instrumental in Berlusconi’s latest electoral victory. AN leader Gianfranco Fini is the speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
On Mar. 22, Fini announced the dissolution of the AN, saying, "We have come to terms with our past, we have said clear words of condemnation over Italian history between the two wars. Today a long chapter in the life of Italy’s post-war right comes to an end."
Polling Data
Do you have confidence in Silvio Berlusconi?
|
|
Mar. 2009 |
Jan. 2009 |
|
Yes |
52% |
56% |
|
No |
44% |
41% |
Source: IPR Marketing / La Repubblica
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Italian adults, conducted on Mar. 13 and Mar. 14, 2009. No margin of error was provided.
