July 05, 2005

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Scan) - The opposition Union (Unione) holds a slight edge in Italy's political scene, according to a poll by Ekma Ricerche Srl published in Il Clandestino. 47.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the centre-left alliance in the next election to the Chamber of Deputies.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - The opposition Union (Unione) holds a slight edge in Italy's political scene, according to a poll by Ekma Ricerche Srl published in Il Clandestino. 47.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the centre-left alliance in the next election to the Chamber of Deputies.

Former president of the European Commission Romano Prodi is expected to lead the Union into the next parliamentary ballot, tentatively scheduled for May 2006. The group includes the Democrats of the Left (DS), Democracy and Liberty (La Margherita) and the Communist Refoundation Party (PRC).

The governing coalition of centre-right parties—which includes prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's Forwards Italy (Forza Italia)—garners the backing of 45.5 per cent of respondents. Berlusconi has been in office since June 2001. The media mogul had previously served for less than eight months in 1994 and 1995.

In the 2001 ballot, Berlusconi's House of Freedom (Casa) elected 282 lawmakers to the 475-seat Chamber of Deputies, the largest majority for an Italian government since World War II.

Last month, the Union agreed to choose their leader and prospective candidate for prime minister in a primary election on Oct. 16. Berlusconi has suggested merging the House of Freedom parties into a single political organization before next year's ballot.

Berlusconi will participate in this week's G-8 summit. Global climate change and economic development in Africa will be the two priorities during the meeting, which will take place from Jul. 6 to Jul. 8 in Perthshire, Scotland.

Polling Data

If the election had taken place yesterday, which party would you have voted for?

Union (Centre-Left)	47.5%
Democrats of the Left (DS)	20.0%
Democracy and Liberty (La Margherita)	14.0%
Communist Refoundation Party (PRC)	6.5%
Green / Sunflower (Verdi / Girasole)	2.5%
Party of Italian Communists (PCI)	2.0%
Italy of Values (Lista di Pietro / Occhetti)	1.0%
Italian Democratic Socialist (SDI)	0.5%
Popular Alliance (UDEUR)	0.5%
House of Freedom (Centre-Right)	45.5%
Forwards Italy (Forza Italia)	18.5%
National Alliance (AN)	13.0%
Union of Christian and Centre-Democrats (UDC)	8.0%
Northern League (LN)	4.0%
New Italian Socialist Party (Nuovo PSI)	2.0%
Emma Bonino List	3.5%
Social Alternative (AS)	1.2%
Social Idea Movement (MIS)	0.5%
Pensioners Party (PP)	1.5%
Other	0.3%

Source: Ekma Ricerche Srl / Il Clandestino
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 1,000 Italian adults, conducted from Jun. 1 to Jun. 3, 2005. No margin of error was provided.