Berlusconi says FI remains 'linchpin' despite poor result

(See related)  Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi said Monday that his Forza Italia (FI) is the linchpin of the centre right and a "decisive partner" of the Italian government despite placing third in European Parliament elections. Premier Matteo Renzi's centre-left Democratic Party (PD) took almost 41% of Sunday's vote while FI captured less than 17%. Comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo's anti-establishment, Euroskeptic 5-Star Movement (M5S) took 21.16%.
    Berlusconi was unable to stand or even vote in the election after being ejected from parliament following a binding tax-fraud conviction last year. The three-time premier and his supporters say that conviction is the result of persecution by left-wing elements in the judiciary who are trying to eliminate him from Italy's public life. Berlusconi said that despite the poor showing, his party is still important to ensuring necessary government reforms announced by Renzi are passed.
    "We are at the same time the decisive partners without which there are not the numbers in Parliament to make real reforms, definitive and lasting for the good of the country," he said.
    Berlusconi had said he would support some institutional reforms proposed by Renzi, although recently he has said that his support can no longer be guaranteed.
    Meanwhile, Berlusconi also said that his "guiding star" is holding together the moderate right against the forces of the left.
    "I began my work in politics to unite all of the moderates, and I intend to continue to work to reconstruct that lost unity," said Berlusconi.
    Late last year, some members of Berlusconi's former People of Freedom (PdL) party broke away to form the splinter group New Centre Right (NCD) led by Interior Minister Angelino Alfano after disagreeing with Berlusconi's attempt to bring down the coalition government of ex-premier Enrico Letta.