Italy was bracing for a spring general election last night after prime minister-designate Franco Marini told the head of state that, in four days of consultations with political parties, he had been unable to obtain a consensus for a "technical government" to change the electoral law. Romano Prodi' s government fell last month, and Silvio Berlusconi, the leader of Forza Italia, the biggest party in the country, and his centre-right allies have been demanding immediate elections, heartened by a double-digit lead in the polls. Now it seems almost certain that they will get their way and that Italy will vote again in April or May. After meeting Mr Marini yesterday, Mr Berlusconi said: "We hope - and we think that's what will happen - that ... the head of state will call elections immediately, because the country quickly needs an efficient government."
Italy was bracing for a spring general election last night after prime minister-designate Franco Marini told the head of state that, in four days of consultations with political parties, he had been unable to obtain a consensus for a "technical government" to change the electoral law.
Romano Prodi' s government fell last month, and Silvio Berlusconi, the leader of Forza Italia, the biggest party in the country, and his centre-right allies have been demanding immediate elections, heartened by a double-digit lead in the polls. Now it seems almost certain that they will get their way and that Italy will vote again in April or May.
After meeting Mr Marini yesterday, Mr Berlusconi said: "We hope - and we think that's what will happen - that ... the head of state will call elections immediately, because the country quickly needs an efficient government."
Since he has been on war footing since he lost the last elections, I expect him to launch a blitzkreig campaign, no holds barred, a total media takeover.
