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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Mario Monti considers return as Italian prime minister | Mario Monti considers return as Italian prime minister |
| (7 days later) | |
| Mario Monti says he will consider returning as prime minister of Italy after elections in February – and has launched a stinging attack on Silvio Berlusconi, who brought down his technocratic government this month. | Mario Monti says he will consider returning as prime minister of Italy after elections in February – and has launched a stinging attack on Silvio Berlusconi, who brought down his technocratic government this month. |
| Monti, commenting on the attacks on his austerity programme, as well as the offers he has had to lead a new centre-right coalition, said: "I am struggling trying to follow [Berlusconi's] line of thinking." | Monti, commenting on the attacks on his austerity programme, as well as the offers he has had to lead a new centre-right coalition, said: "I am struggling trying to follow [Berlusconi's] line of thinking." |
| While throwing his hat back into the ring, Monti refused to name parties he would ally with, merely stating that he would consider politicians who sign up to a programme of reforms he wanted carried out in Italy. | While throwing his hat back into the ring, Monti refused to name parties he would ally with, merely stating that he would consider politicians who sign up to a programme of reforms he wanted carried out in Italy. |
| "I would be ready to offer my appreciation, encouragement, and if asked, leadership" to parties that backed the programme, he said, adding that it would soon be posted online. | "I would be ready to offer my appreciation, encouragement, and if asked, leadership" to parties that backed the programme, he said, adding that it would soon be posted online. |
| Monti said he would not join a party ticket before the election, but added: "If one or more political forces who adhere to the programme propose me as a candidate for prime minster, I would consider it." | Monti said he would not join a party ticket before the election, but added: "If one or more political forces who adhere to the programme propose me as a candidate for prime minster, I would consider it." |
| His keenly awaited speech, following his resignation as technocrat premier on Friday, partly cleared up the confusion surrounding Italy's return to fully democratic government after Monti's appointment last November. | His keenly awaited speech, following his resignation as technocrat premier on Friday, partly cleared up the confusion surrounding Italy's return to fully democratic government after Monti's appointment last November. |
| But he left doubt over whether he would front a coalition of centrist parties, including the descendant of the Christian Democrats, which has been lobbying him to stand as their leader. | But he left doubt over whether he would front a coalition of centrist parties, including the descendant of the Christian Democrats, which has been lobbying him to stand as their leader. |
| Monti is unlikely to win the election, and his statement allows him time to see how the centrist parties fare in the polls. Italy's centre-left Democratic party, which has asked Monti not to stand, is leading the polls. In an interview published by La Repubblica on Friday, Monti criticised the centrists: "They have been politicians since they were children and people can't tolerate professional politicians anymore," he said. | Monti is unlikely to win the election, and his statement allows him time to see how the centrist parties fare in the polls. Italy's centre-left Democratic party, which has asked Monti not to stand, is leading the polls. In an interview published by La Repubblica on Friday, Monti criticised the centrists: "They have been politicians since they were children and people can't tolerate professional politicians anymore," he said. |
| By not committing, the former EU commissioner has also left open the door to becoming Italy's next president in 2013. | By not committing, the former EU commissioner has also left open the door to becoming Italy's next president in 2013. |
| He was surprisingly fierce in his criticism of Berlusconi, who pulled his support for Monti this month, triggering his resignation, and who this weekend condemned Monti's government as a "complete disaster". | He was surprisingly fierce in his criticism of Berlusconi, who pulled his support for Monti this month, triggering his resignation, and who this weekend condemned Monti's government as a "complete disaster". |
| Monti said Italians could "hold their heads high" after his government implemented fiscal restraint to restore Italy's credibility following Berlusconi's resignation in November 2011. | Monti said Italians could "hold their heads high" after his government implemented fiscal restraint to restore Italy's credibility following Berlusconi's resignation in November 2011. |
| He said his new programme promoted collaborating with the EU to improve Italy's future, as opposed to Berlusconi's constant attacks on the bloc. A simple "slap on the back" in Europe would not get results, Monti added, an apparent reference to his rival's bonhomie at summits. | He said his new programme promoted collaborating with the EU to improve Italy's future, as opposed to Berlusconi's constant attacks on the bloc. A simple "slap on the back" in Europe would not get results, Monti added, an apparent reference to his rival's bonhomie at summits. |
| Monti also warned against dropping a controversial property tax that Berlusconi was campaigning against, adding that scrapping it would only result in reintroducing it doubled the following year. | Monti also warned against dropping a controversial property tax that Berlusconi was campaigning against, adding that scrapping it would only result in reintroducing it doubled the following year. |
| A much-needed anti-corruption law had been "impoverished" by Berlusconi's opposition, he said, warning that Italy required laws on false accounting and conflicts of interest. | A much-needed anti-corruption law had been "impoverished" by Berlusconi's opposition, he said, warning that Italy required laws on false accounting and conflicts of interest. |
| Monti also called for the next government to undertake a "drastic simplification" of the country's labour laws and a strengthening of the reforms launched by his government. He advised the Italian left to accept laws to open key sectors of the economy. | Monti also called for the next government to undertake a "drastic simplification" of the country's labour laws and a strengthening of the reforms launched by his government. He advised the Italian left to accept laws to open key sectors of the economy. |
| "I hope Italy does not need to be saved every year," he said in reference to his 13-month administration, and urged politicians to focus on the next generation rather than the next election. | "I hope Italy does not need to be saved every year," he said in reference to his 13-month administration, and urged politicians to focus on the next generation rather than the next election. |
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