July 21, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The coalition of right-leaning parties led by prime minister Silvio Berlusconi holds a high level of public support in Italy, according to a poll by Istituto Piepoli published in L’Espresso. 51 per cent of respondents would vote for the Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL), the Northern League (LN) or the Movement for Autonomy (MPA) in the next election to the Chamber of Deputies.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The coalition of right-leaning parties led by prime minister Silvio Berlusconi holds a high level of public support in Italy, according to a poll by Istituto Piepoli published in L’Espresso. 51 per cent of respondents would vote for the Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL), the Northern League (LN) or the Movement for Autonomy (MPA) in the next election to the Chamber of Deputies.

The left-leaning alliance encompassing the Democratic Party (PD) and Italy of Values (Lista di Pietro) is second with 38 per cent. Support is lower for Union of the Centre, Left Rainbow (SA), and The Right (La Destra) and Tricoloured Flame (FT).

Italian voters renewed the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in April. Final results gave 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—Italy’s richest man—was sworn in as the country’s new head of government on May 8. He had previously served as prime minister from May 1994 to January 1995, and from June 2001 to May 2006.

On Jul. 18, at an international conference on Mediterranean affairs, Berlusconi complained about a perceived absence of talent in the current pool of political leaders, saying, "Today there is a certain lack of leadership experience. (…) The absence of figures such as [former Russian president Vladimir] Putin, [former British prime minister Tony] Blair, [former Spanish president José María] Aznar, [former French president Jacques] Chirac and [former German chancellor Gerard] Schroeder at international summits (...) who have been replaced by leaders who have not enough practical experience."

Massimo D’Alema—a former Italian prime minister and centre-left politician—commented on the incumbent’s statement, saying, "Berlusconi is obviously having some sort of omni-powerful delirium."

Polling Data

If a new election to the Chamber of Deputies took place, which party would you vote for?

Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL) / Northern League (LN) / Movement for Autonomy (MPA)	51%
Democratic Party (PD) / Italy of Values (Lista di Pietro)	38%
Union of the Centre	5%
Left Rainbow (SA)	3%
The Right (La Destra) / Tricoloured Flame (FT)	1.5%
Other parties	1.5%

Source: Istituto Piepoli / L’Espresso
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 500 Italian adults, conducted on Jul. 7, 2008. No margin of error was provided.