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Associated PressBerlusconi's political future uncertain
By ALESSANDRA RIZZO
The Associated Press
Tuesday, August 3, 2010; 10:35 AM
ROME -- Silvio Berlusconi has survived corruption charges, a sex scandal and a nasty public divorce, but a break with a key ally could spell the beginning of the end of a 16-year political career for the multibillionare businessman.
Two years after he swept to power for a third time, the Italian premier finds his parliamentary majority eroded and now faces a key vote in parliament Wednesday that could signal serious troubles for his government - and eventually lead to a snap election in the fall.
"These are the spasms of the end of a regime," said Stefano Folli, a leading political analyst.
The premier split last week with the charismatic Gianfranco Fini, an ally since Berlusconi's entry into politics and the co-founder of the People of Freedom party. The two had bickered for months on a number of issues, and finally Berlusconi accused Fini of mounting an opposition from within, and effectively expelled him from the party.
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