(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The governing coalition of conservative parties remains highly popular in Italy, according to a poll by Crespi Ricerche. 50.8 per cent of respondents would vote for the alliance including the Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL), the Northern League (LN), The Autonomy (MPA-Pensioners-Alliance of Centre), and The Right in the next legislative election.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – The governing coalition of conservative parties remains highly popular in Italy, according to a poll by Crespi Ricerche. 50.8 per cent of respondents would vote for the alliance including the Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL), the Northern League (LN), The Autonomy (MPA-Pensioners-Alliance of Centre), and The Right in the next legislative election.
The opposition centre-left alliance comprising the Democratic Party (PD), Italy of Values (Lista di Pietro), and the Pannella Bonino List (LPB) is second with 37 per cent. Support is much lower for the Union of the Centre, the Left Refoundation (RpS), Left and Freedom (SeL), and the Grillo National Movement (MNG).
Italian voters renewed the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in April 2008. Final results gave Silvio Berlusconi’s right-wing coalition 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.
On Dec. 13, while speaking at a rally in Milan, Berlusconi was attacked and hit in the face with a replica of the famous cathedral Duomo di Milano. He was then rushed to hospital with a fractured nose and two broken teeth. Authorities identified Massimo Tartaglia—a man with a history of mental illness—as the attacker and arrested him.
On Dec. 17, as he left the hospital, the prime minister declared: "Two things I will keep as a memory of these days: the hatred of a few and the love of many, so many Italians."
Polling Data
If the national political election were held today, which party would you vote for?
|
|
Dec. 2009 |
Jul. 2009 |
May 2009 |
|
Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL) / |
50.8% |
49.2% |
53.7% |
|
Democratic Party (PD) / |
37.0% |
36.5% |
34.2% |
|
Union of the Centre |
7.0% |
6.9% |
6.0% |
|
Left Refoundation (RpS) |
2.0% |
3.0% |
3.2% |
|
Left and Freedom (SeL) |
1.2% |
2.1% |
2.4% |
|
Grillo National Movement (MNG) |
1.5% |
n.a. |
n.a. |
|
Other parties |
0.5% |
2.3% |
0.5% |
Source: Crespi Ricerche
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Italian adults, conducted on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, 2009. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
