(ANSA) - Rome, March 4 - Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia
(FI) party on Wednesday issued a statement denying media reports
that the ex-premier was considering scrapping the opposition,
centre-right group in order to set up a new party.
"President Berlusconi has never thought of scrapping
Forza Italia, never mind working to do so," the statement said,
describing the reports about the creation of a new party, Forza
Silvio, as "fanciful conjectures".
Forza Italia has been hit by severe internal rifts in
recent months and has dropped to fourth place in many opinion
polls.
Berlusconi 'not scrapping Forza Italia'
Party says reports are 'fanciful conjectures'