Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announced on Wednesday he will resign and form a new government with a revamped programme in a bid to quell a revolt by key allies in his centre-right coalition.
He told the Italian Senate that he will form a new government with the same majority, claiming his allies have pledged their support after demanding far-reaching policy changes in the wake of a resounding defeat in regional elections.
”A little over two weeks ago, in the regional elections, the country sent a signal of malaise which, in its magnitude, had a clear significance. I understood this signal and intend to give an adequate response,” the 68-year-old prime minister said in a brief speech before the Upper House.
”To relaunch our efforts, I plan to update our programme, increase our strength to protect the purchasing power of families, to support our businesses and to ensure renewed and certain development in the south.
”To do this, I intend to reinforce the government team,” he said, without giving details of the expected ministerial reshuffle.
Berlusconi said he will later go to the residence of President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi to tender his resignation. As he retains a majority in Parliament, he is expected to be asked to form a new government by the head of state.
”To my friends in the majority, I ask them to have faith in ourselves, in yourselves, in our values, because we have faced important chapters in the past and I’m certain that we’ll write many more,” said Berlusconi.
The speech was immediately welcomed by Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini, the leader of Berlusconi’s biggest ally, the National Alliance.
”The prime minister was good. He made a great speech, with a strong emphasis on the values of the coalition,” said Fini, who had threatened to withdraw from the four-year-old government.
Berlusconi had spent the earlier part of the day in discussions with key allies in the Northern League, his smallest coalition partner. — Sapa-AFP