March 17, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL) maintains the lead in the country’s electoral campaign, according to a poll by IPR Marketing published in La Repubblica. 38.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the party led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in next month’s ballot, while 32.5 per cent would support the Democratic Party (PD) of former Rome mayor Walter Veltroni.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL) maintains the lead in the country’s electoral campaign, according to a poll by IPR Marketing published in La Repubblica. 38.5 per cent of respondents would vote for the party led by former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi in next month’s ballot, while 32.5 per cent would support the Democratic Party (PD) of former Rome mayor Walter Veltroni.

The Left Rainbow (SA) is third with 7.5 per cent, followed by the Union of the Centre with seven per cent, the Northern League (LN) with 4.5 per cent, and Italy of Values (Lista di Pietro) with four per cent.

Italian voters renewed the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate in April 2006. The Union (Unione) of centre-left parties, led by Romano Prodi, secured 348 seats in the lower house and 158 seats in the upper house. The victory put an end to the government of the centre-right House of Freedom (Casa), 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.

In January 2008, Prodi lost a confidence vote in Parliament and was forced to step down. After Senate president Franco Marini failed in his bid to form a caretaker administration, a legislative election was scheduled for Apr. 13 and Apr. 14.

In October 2007, Veltroni assembled the PD with several centre-left political organizations. In November, Berlusconi announced the creation of the PdL.

On Mar. 13, Veltroni discussed his views on job creation, saying, "My response wouldn’t have been ‘marry well’, but that no boy or girl should earn less than 1,000 or 1,100 euros per month. (...) We need to use taxes to help companies that stabilize, and discourage those who use job insecurity as a form of unfair competition."

Polling Data

If the election were held today, which party would you vote for?

Italian People of Freedom Party (PdL)	38.5%
Democratic Party (PD)	32.5%
Left Rainbow (SA)	7.5%
Union of the Centre	7.0%
Northern League (LN)	4.5%
Italy of Values (Lista di Pietro)	4.0%
The Right (La Destra)	2.5%
Socialist Party (PS)	1.5%
Movement for Autonomy (MPA)	0.5%
Communist Workers Party (PCL)	0.5%
Democratic Union for Consumers (UDPIC)	0.5%
Critical Left (SC)	0.2%
Communist Alternative (AC)	0.1%

Source: IPR Marketing / La Repubblica
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Italian adults, conducted on Mar. 6 and Mar. 7, 2008. Margin of error is 2.4 per cent.