Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi had waited until the austerity package was passed by the Parliament, and only then he struck his main rival in their People of Freedom Party Gainfranco Fini. Fini and his allies (around 50 other MPs) could finish this government. The problem is that Fini's popularity is not high enough, despite all of his deeds.

He criticised all of Berlusconi's corrupted friends and helped to save both media and police freedom when fighting Berlusconi's anti-democratic proposals. However, the irrational magic of Italian politics says that Berlusconi still has the chance to win this battle. That is why he does not fear to attack Fini, even though that means the loss of majority in the Parliament. His media empire simply works. After all those sex and corruption scandals, he can win an early elections, if "traitor" Fini decides to bring down the government.

The centre-left parties are impotent and Fini's popularity can not match that of Berlusconi. That is why Fini will wait and try to gain more dissatisfied allies in the People of Freedom Party. Despite the markets appreciated the austerity measures, the prolonged political instability would remind the world about the huge Italian debt. This means quite a big risk for Berlusconi, so it is, paradoxically, the Prime Minister who is evidently more eager to undergo an early elections than his estranged political rival.

Milan Sebo

PHOTO: ISIFA