(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Few people in Italy want Silvio Berlusconi to finish his current term in office, according to a poll by Digis. Only 28 per cent of respondents want the prime minister’s government to stay in place until the end of the term.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Few people in Italy want Silvio Berlusconi to finish his current term in office, according to a poll by Digis. Only 28 per cent of respondents want the prime minister’s government to stay in place until the end of the term.
Conversely, 42 per cent of respondents would prefer to form a Grand Coalition government, and 30 per cent would choose to hold a snap general election.
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.
In March 2009, 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.
Since May, two members of Berlusconi’s cabinet have resigned: industry minister Claudio Scajola and minister without portfolio Aldo Brancher. Scajola stepped down over allegations of improper real-estate dealings, and Brancher was on trial in a case of embezzlement.
The governing coalition has recently faced in-fighting, with Fini creating a splinter movement in the legislature—called Future and Freedom for Italy (FLI)—which has criticized Berlusconi.
On Aug. 6, Fabrizio Cicchitto, leader of center-right parliamentarians in the Lower House, said Berlusconi will force a confidence vote in the fall to test the unity of the right-wing coalition, declaring, "In September, Berlusconi will present a platform based on a few points. We hope that a majority can be found to support them and renew the confidence in the government. Otherwise, at that point, there can be no alternative to elections."
Polling Data
Which of these options would you prefer for Italy’s political future?
|
A Grand Coalition government taking over
|
42%
|
|
A snap general election
|
30%
|
|
The Berlusconi government staying in place until the end of the term
|
28%
|
Source: Digis
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Italian adults, conducted on Jul. 23 and Jul. 24, 2010. Margin of error is 3.1 per cent.
