February 26, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The opposition House of Freedom (Casa) is holding on to the top position in Italy, according to a poll by Ispo published in Corriere della Sera. 51 per cent of respondents would support the alliance of centre-right parties in the next Chamber of Deputies ballot. The governing centre-left Union (Unione) is in second place with 47 per cent.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The opposition House of Freedom (Casa) is holding on to the top position in Italy, according to a poll by Ispo published in Corriere della Sera. 51 per cent of respondents would support the alliance of centre-right parties in the next Chamber of Deputies ballot. The governing centre-left Union (Unione) is in second place with 47 per cent.

Italian voters renewed the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in April 2006. The Union, led by Romano Prodi, secured 348 seats in the lower house and 158 seats in the upper house. The victory put an end to a centre-right government headed by Silvio Berlusconi.

In May 2006, Prodi was formally appointed as prime minister. The Union leader had previously served as head of government from May 1996 to October 1998.

On Feb. 21, Prodi tendered his resignation after the Senate rejected his plan to deploy more troops to Afghanistan, and expand a U.S. military base located in northern Italy. Two Communist Refoundation Party (PRC) members refused to vote with the government, and prompted the defeat of Prodi's proposal in the upper house.

On Feb. 23, the PRC expelled the two members who voted against the government, calling their actions "a breach that could not be healed" and reaffirmed "our faith in the prime minister."

On Feb. 24, Italian president Giorgio Napolitano—who appoints the prime minister in accordance with existing legislation—asked Prodi to remain as head of government. Prodi, who will face a confidence vote in the coming days, declared: "I will go to Parliament as soon as possible, with the support of a cohesive coalition determined to help the country at this difficult stage."

Polling Data

Voting Intention - Chamber of Deputies

House of Freedom (Centre-Right) Forwards Italy (Forza Italia) National Alliance (AN) Northern League (LN) Union of Christian and Centre-Democrats (UDC) Christian Democracy (DC) and New Italian Socialist Party (Nuovo PSI) Other centre-right	51%
Union (Centre-Left) Democrats of the Left (DS) Democracy and Liberty (La Margherita) Communist Refoundation Party (PRC) Italian Democratic Socialist (SDI) Popular Alliance (UDEUR) Party of Italian Communists (PCI) Green Federation (Verdi) Italian Socialist Party of Craxi (PSI-Craxi) Italy of Values (Lista di Pietro) Other centre-left	47%
Other parties	2%

Source: Ispo / Corriere della Sera
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,917 Italian adults, conducted from Feb. 13 to Feb. 15, 2007. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.