Northern League leader wants snap elections
Bossi mulling not voting in govt confidence vote
08 September, 16:54
(ANSA) - Rome, September 8 - Northern League leader Umberto
Bossi suggested Wednesday that his party might vote against a
confidence vote called by government ally Premier Silvio
Berlusconi in a bid to force snap elections.Bossi was speaking to reporters shortly after an announcement that Berlusconi would address parliament at the end of the month to seek a confidence vote following a crisis sparked by his split with his People of Freedom (PdL) party co-founder, House Speaker Gianfranco Fini.
Fabrizio Cicchitto, House Whip for the PdL party, told reporters Berlusconi would address parliament at the end of the September on the situation after Fini's ouster from the PdL in July.
"The only way out is holding elections," said Bossi, who hinted that the League was mulling the idea of not voting for a five-point government programme which Cicchitto said the premier will outline to parliament.
Bossi pooh-poohed the idea that it is President Giorgio Napolitano's prerogative to decide whether elections should be held or not.
The Northern League is tipped by pollsters to make the biggest gains if early elections are held and some commentators say that Bossi has been stepping up pressure on Berlusconi, whose party is seen as losing MPs in the Senate in possible new elections, to cave in to his demands. Napolitano has made clear that he is under a constitutional obligation to see if an alternative government can be formed. He had also warned of the danger that a political crisis would have on the struggling economy. But the volatile Northern League leader ruled out the idea that Napolitano would urge parties to back a so-called technical government in a bid to call the country to its third general elections in the last six years. "They won't be able to form a technical government against me and Berlusconi. We have millions of people on our side," he told reporters at the House.
"They don't have the courage to form a technical government against the country's wishes".
"The only way out is holding elections," said Bossi, who thundered that he and Berlusconi were ready to "bring ten million protesters to Rome" if Napolitano decides against early elections.
Fini, who has set up his own Future and Freedom (FLI) groups in the House and Senate, told supporters on Sunday and again on Tuesday he would continue to support the government but now expects to have a say in its agenda, exactly like Bossi.
Cicchitto said the House - where FLI's 34 MPs can bring the government down - would be asked to vote on a resolution centering on a five-point programme of measures including tax and justice reforms.
According to the media, Berlusconi has not made much headway in bids to woo away some of FLI's MPs and in overtures to the centrist UDC opposition party to support the government in a move to ensure its survival.
Meanwhile, FLI Whip Italo Bocchino said Berlusconi's speech to the House would provide "a splendid occasion" for the rebels to show they would keep their word to back the government.
Interviewed on television on Tuesday night, Fini said that holding early elections would be "irresponsible".
