Allies Turn on Berlusconi After Tv Debate Fails to Lift Campaign

Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, trailing in the opinion polls ahead of next month's general election, yesterday faced a mutiny after two senior lieutenants publicly upbraided him for his inept performance in a television debate this week.

Their criticisms weakened Mr Berlusconi's authority as he prepared for the final stages of the campaign, and some commentators suggested his allies were distancing themselves because they believed he was heading for defeat.

Pier Ferdinando Casini, who leads the Christian Democrats in Mr Berlusconi's rightwing coalition, rebuked him for talking up the record of his government instead of offering voters a programme for the next five years. He said the TV debate on Tuesday was "a missed opportunity".

The deputy prime minister, Gianfranco Fini, of the formerly neo-fascist National Alliance, is usually loyal, but he also attacked Mr Berlusconi's performance. "The prime minister gave the impression that all was well, as if he wanted to get top marks. But many voters who are still undecided know that society still has many problems," he said in a statement.

Polls indicate that almost a quarter of Italy's electorate are undecided but that around half of them will vote. The right, trailing by about 4% in the polls, needs to secure twice as many floating voters as the left if it is to get back into office. Conservatives fear that Mr Berlusconi's approach is just not working with them.

The economy is at a standstill, yet in his debate with the centre-left leader, Romano Prodi, Mr Berlusconi refused to accept there was anything wrong or that his government had made mistakes. Four opinion polls found viewers believed Mr Prodi had emerged in better shape from the duel, which was watched by about 17 million people. Voting is on April 9 and 10.

The only leading Berlusconi ally not to attack him was Umberto Bossi of the Northern League. But his deputy, Roberto Calderoli, was critical, saying a new electoral law drafted by the outgoing government was a "load of rubbish". The law, which reinstates proportional representation, is one reason for the alacrity with which Mr Berlusconi's allies pounced on his mishandling of the campaign. "They are saying: 'Vote for me'," said Gianfranco Pasquino, professor of political science at the University of Bologna.

Mr Casini and Mr Fini are the leading candidates to head the right if Mr Berlusconi is ousted. A final TV debate will be held on April 3. Professor Pasquino said Mr Berlusconi had acknowledged the first one did not go well. "I expect him to change strategy, to be better prepared and less tiresome. The game is not over," he said. Meanwhile, a preliminary hearing to decide whether Mr Berlusconi and David Mills, the estranged husband of the culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, should be put on trial for corruption will not start for almost three months.