Berlusconi Ministers to Quit Today in Move That May Speed Early Elections

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Bloomberg

Berlusconi Ministers to Quit Today in Move That May Speed Early Elections
By Lorenzo Totaro - Nov 15, 2010 2:05 AM CT

Four top officials from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s government, including a Cabinet minister, will resign today in a move designed to down his administration and possibly trigger early elections.

The four are members of the new Future and Liberty for Italy Party formed by Speaker of the Chamber Gianfranco Fini who first broke with the premier in July and then called for his resignation earlier this month. Berlusconi acknowledged the defections in an e-mailed statement on Nov. 13 and said he would call confidence votes in both houses of parliament once the 2011 budget is passed to see if he still has enough support to govern.

“Starting from Monday, the government cannot rely on the support” of Future and Liberty, Benedetto Della Vedova, a founder of the party, said in an interview on Nov. 12. “This is not our government anymore.”

Tensions between Berlusconi and Fini, who co-founded the premier’s ruling People of Liberty Party in 2008, exploded at a time when parliament needs to approve the government’s budget plan. It includes spending cuts worth 13 billion euros ($17.8 billion) aimed at reducing a deficit that topped 5 percent of gross domestic product last year.



Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-12/fini-won-t-topple-berlusconi-government-before-budget-passed-deputy-says.html

[Judi Lynn]

1. Italian political crisis deepens

Italian political crisis deepens
The Associated Press
Monday, November 15, 2010; 5:01 AM

ROME -- Four members of the government are quitting, escalating the political crisis of Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

Outgoing Deputy Minister Adolfo Urso says the resignation letters will be handed to Berlusconi's office later Monday.

The resignations by a minister, a deputy minister and two undersecretaries doesn't topple the government, but makes it more difficult for Berlusconi to cling to power.

He has been feuding with his former ally Gianfranco Fini, who recently urged him to resign and said that otherwise he would withdraw his delegation from the government.

More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/15/AR2010111500774.html