Berlusconi suffers double Italian by-election blow

Italy's centre-left opposition parties yesterday celebrated a double by-election victory that they said put them on course to unseat Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi next year.

The election results delivered the opposition a much needed morale boost after inter-party bickering and a lacklustre performance by its leader Romano Prodi had depleted its lead over Mr Berlusconi in private opinion polls.

"When we are together we win," said Mr Prodi, a former prime minister who returned to Italian politics at the end of last year after five years as head of the European Commission.

With regional government elections due in May, the coalition of at least 10 parties, which span the spectrum from centrists to communists, appeared until this week to be in disarray.

The parties squabbled over their strategy for the May elections and failed to agree on a name for the coalition. Many politicians behind the scenes spoke of dumping Mr Prodi, who beat Mr Berlusconi in a 1997 election, and picking a new leader.

But by winning the by-elections and seizing Senate seats from the centre right in the southern city of Bari and the northeastern town of Rovigo, Mr Prodi's position has been strengthened.

While some government politicians played down the polls, pointing to a low turnout and the fact that the left traditionally performs well in by-elections, others said voters had delivered a clear message.

"Let's say it like it is, this is a defeat," said Communications Minster Maurizio Gasparri, a member of the right-wing National Alliance party.

"We kidded ourselves that the confusion in the centre left would have a negative influence on people," Bruno Tabacci, a parliamentarian of the centrist UDC party told Corriere della Sera newspaper.

"Instead, what weighed was the image of a government which pursues particular interest groups."