M5S retains lead but loses ground, pollster says
Centre right and centre left both make gains
22 March, 12:05
(ANSA) - Rome, March 22 - The anti-establishment 5-Star
Movement (M5S) remains the biggest party in Italy but is losing
ground to its centre-left and centre-right competitors, an
opinion poll said Friday.
The party founded by Genoa comedian Beppe Grillo lost 3.1%
over the previous week to stand at 26.9%, followed closely by
Pier Luigi Bersani's Democratic Party (PD) at 26.4% and
ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PdL) party at
24.2%, according to pollster SWG.The PD and PdL saw their consensus grow by 1.3% and 0.9% respectively.
The centrist formation Civic Choice led by outgoing technocrat Premier Mario Monti lost 0.4% to stand at 7.9%.
M5S, Pd and PdL are contending the right to govern after inconclusive general elections at the end of February resulted in a hung parliament. President of the Republic Giorgio Napolitano was due to announce who would be tasked with forming an executive on Friday. Pundits say any government may be short-lived and Italy could go back to the polls within a year at the most.
One scenario sees a reform to the much-criticised electoral law and Bersani's replacement at the PD helm by the younger, more media-savvy and centrist mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi.
Renzi is the leader Italians have most confidence in, the SWG poll found.
He enjoyed an approval rating of 49% compared to Grillo's 36% and Bersani's 32%.
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