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Profile: Pier Luigi Bersani, Italy's centre-left leader Profile: Pier Luigi Bersani
(3 months later)
Pier Luigi Bersani, the Italian centre-left's candidate for prime minster, is a down-to-earth veteran of party politics who led efforts to liberalise the economy as a government minister. Pier Luigi Bersani, the leader of the centre-left bloc in Italy's election, is a former Communist with a track record in government as an economic liberal which may stand him in good stead if he becomes prime minister.
In his stolid style, he stands in stark contrast both to the man he defeated in the Democratic Party's primary, the youthful mayor of Florence Matteo Renzi, and to the man who has dominated Italian politics for most of the past two decades - Silvio Berlusconi. However, the fact his coalition was unable to secure outright victory in both houses of parliament, and only scraped a wafer-thin majority of the popular vote, raises questions about the traditional left's ability to return after to power after five years out of office.
"We have to win but we can't win at any price," Mr Bersani said after comfortably securing his party's nomination for elections expected in spring 2013. The image of this 61-year-old veteran of party politics is that of a down-to-earth organiser, a man who turned out to cast his vote in a jumper and no tie.
"We can't win by telling fairy stories because you can't govern that way. It won't be easy but the country needs it." His stolid style stands in stark contrast both to his 2012 rival for the leadership of the Democratic Party, the youthful mayor of Florence Matteo Renzi, and to the man who dominated politics for most of the past two decades, Silvio Berlusconi.
Mr Bersani, 61, is the son of a mechanic and owner of a small petrol station near the northern city of Piacenza. A practising Catholic, he wrote a thesis on the history of Christianity for his philosophy degree at the university of Bologna. "We can't win by telling fairy stories," he said at the start of the 2013 campaign, when he promised to stand by the austerity measures of Mario Monti's technocratic government.
After a brief spell as a teacher, he worked his way up through the ranks of the Communist Party in the regional stronghold of Emilia Romagna. But it was hardly the most winning formula, given the huge vote for Beppe Grillo's protest party, which undoubtedly lured many Italians who would otherwise have voted for Mr Bersani's bloc.
Catholic and Communist
Pier Luigi Bersani was born 29 September 1951, the son of a petrol station mechanic, in Bettola, near Piacenza in the northern region of Emilia Romagna. He is married to a chemist from his home town and the couple have two daughters.
A practising Catholic, he wrote a thesis on the history of Christianity for his philosophy degree at the university of Bologna. In a recent TV debate, he named the late Pope John XXIII as a personal hero.
After a brief spell as a teacher, he worked his way up through the ranks of the region's Communist Party.
He became the party's regional president in 1993 as the Italian left was struggling to modernise, following the end of the Cold War and cross-party corruption scandals.He became the party's regional president in 1993 as the Italian left was struggling to modernise, following the end of the Cold War and cross-party corruption scandals.
Humble approach
In 1996 he entered government for the first time as industry minister under then-Prime Minister Romano Prodi. He pushed through the liberalisation of the electricity market in 1999, before switching to the transport ministry.In 1996 he entered government for the first time as industry minister under then-Prime Minister Romano Prodi. He pushed through the liberalisation of the electricity market in 1999, before switching to the transport ministry.
"As a minister, Bersani was far more of a reforming free marketer than most of the centre-right," Professor James Walston, a political scientist at the American University of Rome, told the Christian Science Monitor in a recent interview.
After the centre-left lost power in 2001, Mr Bersani embarked on a nation-wide tour of Italian industrial sites, writing a book and then a series of policy proposals as he returned to government as minister of economic development in 2006.After the centre-left lost power in 2001, Mr Bersani embarked on a nation-wide tour of Italian industrial sites, writing a book and then a series of policy proposals as he returned to government as minister of economic development in 2006.
But his campaign to liberalise several more areas of the economy ran into fierce resistance from Italy's entrenched interest groups - a campaign that was later picked up by technocratic Prime Minister Mario Monti. But his campaign to liberalise several more areas of the economy ran into fierce resistance from Italy's entrenched interest groups - a campaign that was later picked up by Prime Minister Monti.
In 2009 the left was back in opposition, and the recently formed Democratic Party held a primary to elect its leader. Mr Bersani easily beat the more centrist Dario Franceschini. In 2009 the left was back in opposition, and the recently formed Democratic Party - which incorporated former Communists and others - held a primary to elect its leader.
Mr Bersani easily beat the more centrist Dario Franceschini and took up the challenge of presenting a convincing alternative to Mr Berlusconi.
Roots and leaves
True to his roots, Mr Bersani appears most at home chatting with the party faithful at rallies or summer festivals, cigar between the teeth.True to his roots, Mr Bersani appears most at home chatting with the party faithful at rallies or summer festivals, cigar between the teeth.
Critics have accused him of being outdated, but the left will now be hoping that his humble, pragmatic approach will have a broader appeal than the charisma and energy offered by Mr Renzi. The long-time rock music fan (favourite bands include AC/DC and the Rolling Stones) has tried to freshen his image by engaging in social media and pledging to "make space" in the party for younger generations.
Mr Bersani has, however, tried to freshen his image by engaging in social media. After his victory over Mr Renzi, he tweeted a photo of himself pouring beer in a bar for party volunteers. After his victory over Mr Renzi, he tweeted a photo of himself pouring beer in a bar for party volunteers.
He has also pledged to "make space" in the party for younger generations. Party officials say that if he comes to power, Mr Bersani's priorities would include cutting payroll taxes to create jobs, strengthening anti-corruption laws and bolstering state institutions.
Focus on jobs He himself says he will continue Mr Monti's policies of "discipline and credibility" but will also emphasise his own priorities of "employment and fairness".
Italy's left has been wrought by divisions since the 1990s, and it repeatedly failed to present a convincing alternative to Mr Berlusconi's coalitions. His humble roots and folksy way of talking are mocked by critics, while his cryptic sayings have been known to baffle journalists. "We aren't here to wipe the sea cliffs dry" and "When it rains, it rains for everyone" are two examples quoted in a href="http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/profile-pier-luigi-bersani-the-opposite-of-berlusconi-in-italy-a-884811.html" >Spiegel profile.
The centre-right is now in disarray, but Mr Bersani is also likely to face a challenge keeping the various strands of the left behind him. But Mr Bersani is clearly proud of his background. When he launched his campaign to lead the centre-left bloc in October, he made his pitch at the same petrol station from his childhood, where he once worked to help fund his studies.
He was backed in the second round of the primary by the radical left Ecology and Freedom movement of Nichi Vendola, yet may face dissent from younger or more centrist voices. "Without roots, you can't produce new leaves," he told supporters.
Party officials say that if he wins next year, Mr Bersani's priorities would include cutting payroll taxes to create jobs, strengthening anti-corruption laws, and bolstering state institutions.
"It won't be simple but we can't ignore the fact that we are facing the greatest crisis of the post-war period and the greatest problem of all is jobs," Mr Bersani said.
His first trip as he gears up for a general election campaign will be to Libya, a former Italian colony.
"I want Italy to retake its place in political, moral, cultural and economic terms in the Mediterranean," he told supporters after winning the primary.