Government without Berlusconi possible

Gianfranco Fini, President of Italy's lower house of parliament, called on Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to resign on Sunday in view of the latest sex scandals. The demand does not come as a surprise but its tone does, which rules out any form of future cooperation between the former allies and leaves only one option open, writes the liberal daily La Stampa: "Whether he likes it or not ... Berlusconi will have to resign. But this doesn't mean that the end of his government will automatically lead to new elections, as he has claimed for months. ... Should the prime minister fail both with the cabinet reshuffle and with an attempt to call early elections there is a third alternative. A conservative government without Berlusconi but, at least formally, not against Berlusconi. Under the leadership of a politician from the ranks of the ruling PDL (People of Freedom) party and with a programme that will solve Italy's budgetary problems, which have caused the country to be placed under special EU monitoring."

» more information (external link, Italian)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Italy
All available articles from » Marcello Sorgi

» To the complete press review of Monday, November 8, 2010