Berlusconi Narrows Gap in Polls As Election Campaign Starts

Italy’s centre and leftwing opposition politicians will today throw themselves into the task of trying to oust Silvio Berlusconi from power after five stormy years that have seen the country’s economic growth slow almost to a standstill.

Parliament was dissolved on Saturday, opening the way for a general election to be held on April 9 and 10. As campaigning began, opinion polls in Italy indicated that a media blitz by Mr Berlusconi had narrowed the gap between him and the opposition, led by the former EU commission president, Romano Prodi, by around five percentage points. But the prime minister said at the weekend that a poll he had commissioned, from a US firm he did not identify, showed he had taken the lead.

The start of the campaign brought into force rules on equal air time that Mr Berlusconi had planned, but failed, to overturn. Over the past weeks, however, he has fully exploited both his power as owner of Italy’s three main commercial TV channels and his influence, as prime minister, over its state-owned radio and TV Corporation, RAI.

Italian newspapers quoted him as telling supporters at a dinner on Saturday: "I am a patient victim. I put up with everyone. I sacrifice myself for everyone."

A large part of the opposition’s manifesto, unveiled at the weekend, is devoted to measures aimed at undoing the media tycoon’s legacy. One of the most urgent would be a change to the constitution to ensure it could only be amended by a substantial, cross-party majority. After the election, Italians are due to vote on a reform, criticized by the opposition, that would make Italy a quasi-federal state.

Mr Prodi and his allies also promised bills to tighten up the rules on conflicts of interest and reverse legislation on immigration and drugs. They also pledge to improve Italy’s flagging competitiveness by cutting employers’ tax contributions while increasing take-home pay of the average employee.