Berlusconi launches election campaign

Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi plans to give his party People of Freedom (PdL) a new name at its next conference. He also hasn't ruled out that new elections could take place as early as October. This puts an end to the honeymoon with Mario Monti's technocrat government, the left-liberal daily La Repubblica concludes: "The election campaign has begun. Berlusconi has given the starting signal. Irrespective of whether the elections are indeed brought forward, the words of the PdL leader signal that the honeymoon between the major parties [that support the Monti government] and with the government is over. All the parties are arranging their troops for battle, with the Cavaliere taking the lead. Because he knows that his race will be more like a practice run - for a very difficult route. Consequently he is positioning his artillery on two fronts: against the Monti government, from which he is distancing himself, and against his own, divided party. With the threat of early elections he wants the party to close ranks."

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