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Italy Struggles to Form a Government Italy Struggles to Form a Government
(35 minutes later)
ROME — President Giorgio Napolitano began a new round of consultations Friday to identify a candidate for prime minister who would be able to count on the backing of Italy’s fractured political parties and be able to form a government. ROME — President Giorgio Napolitano began a new round of consultations on Friday to identify a candidate for prime minister who would be able to count on the backing of Italy’s fractured political parties and be able to form a government.
Further talks with political leaders became necessary after Pier Luigi Bersani, the leader of the center-left coalition that won national elections last month but lacked a majority, failed to find that support after nearly a week of negotiations. On Thursday evening, Mr. Bersani acknowledged that talks had been “dramatic” and that he had been stymied by “objections and conditions” set by rival parties that he had found unacceptable.Further talks with political leaders became necessary after Pier Luigi Bersani, the leader of the center-left coalition that won national elections last month but lacked a majority, failed to find that support after nearly a week of negotiations. On Thursday evening, Mr. Bersani acknowledged that talks had been “dramatic” and that he had been stymied by “objections and conditions” set by rival parties that he had found unacceptable.
After meeting with Mr. Napolitano for 80 minutes on Friday morning, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told reporters at the presidential palace that his party, People of Liberty, was willing to work with the Democratic Party and with the centrist party backing the caretaker prime minister, Mario Monti, to form a coalition government. But the Democratic Party has flatly rejected any alliance with Mr. Berlusconi.After meeting with Mr. Napolitano for 80 minutes on Friday morning, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi told reporters at the presidential palace that his party, People of Liberty, was willing to work with the Democratic Party and with the centrist party backing the caretaker prime minister, Mario Monti, to form a coalition government. But the Democratic Party has flatly rejected any alliance with Mr. Berlusconi.
“It is in the interest of the country that we give life together to a government,” Mr. Berlusconi said. “We are willing to meet with other political forces and discuss those urgent measures needed to deal with the country’s difficult economic situation.”“It is in the interest of the country that we give life together to a government,” Mr. Berlusconi said. “We are willing to meet with other political forces and discuss those urgent measures needed to deal with the country’s difficult economic situation.”
“We believe that there can be agreement on the principal measures,” he said. “We believe that there can be agreement on the principal measures,” he said. “We don’t think there is any other solution to serve the needs of the country.”
Such a government would also be backed by the Northern League, said that party’s secretary, Roberto Maroni, who was also present at the meeting.Such a government would also be backed by the Northern League, said that party’s secretary, Roberto Maroni, who was also present at the meeting.
Mr. Berlusconi said his party would even back a government led by Mr. Bersani. “We don’t think there is any other solution to serve the needs of the country,” he said. Mr. Berlusconi said his party would even back a government led by Mr. Bersani.
Mr. Napolitano scheduled consultations throughout the day with political leaders. He was under some pressure from all sides to act quickly as Italy struggles through one of its most difficult economic crises since World War II.Mr. Napolitano scheduled consultations throughout the day with political leaders. He was under some pressure from all sides to act quickly as Italy struggles through one of its most difficult economic crises since World War II.
“Enough With Games!” ran a banner headline Friday in Il Sole 24 Ore, the country’s main economic newspaper.“Enough With Games!” ran a banner headline Friday in Il Sole 24 Ore, the country’s main economic newspaper.
“This country needs respect and attention and, most of all, it deserves to be governed,” wrote the newspaper’s editor, Roberto Napoletano, in a front-page editorial that doubled as a succinct shopping list of grievances that the future Italian government will have to contend with.“This country needs respect and attention and, most of all, it deserves to be governed,” wrote the newspaper’s editor, Roberto Napoletano, in a front-page editorial that doubled as a succinct shopping list of grievances that the future Italian government will have to contend with.
“Almost one young Italian out of two is jobless, every day dozens of manufacturing companies fold, the sum of fiscal and contributive impositions (total tax rate) weighing on businesses has reached the record level of 68.3 percent and the cost of bureaucratic inefficiency is estimated at 73 billion euros per year,” he wrote. “The ratio between Italy’s public debt and its G.D.P. is heading toward 130 percent.”“Almost one young Italian out of two is jobless, every day dozens of manufacturing companies fold, the sum of fiscal and contributive impositions (total tax rate) weighing on businesses has reached the record level of 68.3 percent and the cost of bureaucratic inefficiency is estimated at 73 billion euros per year,” he wrote. “The ratio between Italy’s public debt and its G.D.P. is heading toward 130 percent.”
Mr. Napolitano must convince Italy’s political forces “to give something up in order to together give a lot to the country and prevent looters, old and new, from profiting from our alleged fragilities,” he added.Mr. Napolitano must convince Italy’s political forces “to give something up in order to together give a lot to the country and prevent looters, old and new, from profiting from our alleged fragilities,” he added.
The political stalemate stemmed from elections that effectively split Parliament into three hostile fronts.The political stalemate stemmed from elections that effectively split Parliament into three hostile fronts.
Mr. Napolitano could turn to an institutional figure to guide a future government backed by a majority of political forces, similar to the technocratic government of Mr. Monti. Such a government could be given just a few tasks, including changing the current electoral law, which makes it difficult to have a strong majority in both houses of Parliament, before the country heads back to the polls.Mr. Napolitano could turn to an institutional figure to guide a future government backed by a majority of political forces, similar to the technocratic government of Mr. Monti. Such a government could be given just a few tasks, including changing the current electoral law, which makes it difficult to have a strong majority in both houses of Parliament, before the country heads back to the polls.
The Italian news media listed several possible candidates, including Franco Gallo, president of the Constitutional Court; Giuliano Amato, a former prime minister; and Anna Maria Cancellieri, the interior minister.The Italian news media listed several possible candidates, including Franco Gallo, president of the Constitutional Court; Giuliano Amato, a former prime minister; and Anna Maria Cancellieri, the interior minister.
But the Five Star Movement, an upstart party that won a quarter of the popular vote in the elections, may prove a stumbling block to the formation of any government. The party, with the comedian Beppe Grillo at the helm, has said that it will not back any political government and has asked Mr. Napolitano to give the mandate to one of its members.But the Five Star Movement, an upstart party that won a quarter of the popular vote in the elections, may prove a stumbling block to the formation of any government. The party, with the comedian Beppe Grillo at the helm, has said that it will not back any political government and has asked Mr. Napolitano to give the mandate to one of its members.
The political future is complicated by a presidential election that by law Parliament must hold before mid-May, when Mr. Napolitano’s seven-year term ends. New parliamentary elections are not an immediate option, because under Italian law only the president can dissolve Parliament, but not during the last six months of the presidential mandate.The political future is complicated by a presidential election that by law Parliament must hold before mid-May, when Mr. Napolitano’s seven-year term ends. New parliamentary elections are not an immediate option, because under Italian law only the president can dissolve Parliament, but not during the last six months of the presidential mandate.
Parliament is required to elect Mr. Napolitano’s successor with a two-thirds majority in the first three rounds of voting.Parliament is required to elect Mr. Napolitano’s successor with a two-thirds majority in the first three rounds of voting.
The Italian news media reported that Mr. Bersani’s negotiations had been complicated by demands of a presidential candidate who was acceptable to Mr. Berlusconi.The Italian news media reported that Mr. Bersani’s negotiations had been complicated by demands of a presidential candidate who was acceptable to Mr. Berlusconi.
On Friday, Mr. Berlusconi said his party had not made any demands regarding the name of the future president. “But it is the logic of things, if we make a government together, then together we will decide who the best presidential candidate is,” he said.On Friday, Mr. Berlusconi said his party had not made any demands regarding the name of the future president. “But it is the logic of things, if we make a government together, then together we will decide who the best presidential candidate is,” he said.