(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Italy’s governing coalition of right-leaning parties is the most popular force in the country, according to a poll by Digis. 50.7 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 35 per cent. Support is lower for Union of the Centre, Left Rainbow (SA), The Right (La Destra), and the Socialist Party (PS).

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. 21, Italy’s opposition parties called on the government to dismiss reform minister Umberto Bossi—the leader of the LN—after he allegedly insulted the Italian national anthem. Bossi raised his middle finger during a public act on Jul. 20, and uttered the phrase "Never again slaves to Rome" in response to a verse of the anthem. Bossi’s party has traditionally opposed the centralization of power in Italy.

Democratic Party leader Walter Veltroni did not call for Bossi to be fired, but urged the prime minister to "strongly condemn" his actions, saying, "I expect the government to distance itself very clearly. It’s unacceptable to say, as Berlusconi has on other occasions, that Bossi is just a colourful character."

Polling Data

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

Source: Digis
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,000 Italian adults, conducted on Jul. 11 and Jul. 12, 2008. No margin of error was provided.

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