Silvio Berlusconi survives vote of confidence thanks to rebels

The Guardian

Silvio Berlusconi survived a confidence vote in parliament tonight after rebel MPs loyal to his former lieutenant, Gianfranco Fini, grudgingly opted to keep alive Italy's rightwing government.

After hearing the prime minister appeal for unity in a speech to the lower house, their spokesman, Italo Bocchino, said: "We shall give a confidence vote to the government because today's address to the chamber [of deputies] follows closely the programme on the basis of which the governing majority was elected."

Their climbdown handed a victory to Berlusconi by 342 for votes to 275 against — with 3 abstentions, that should ensure his government survives into next year. But the split on the Italian right has poisoned the atmosphere surrounding his administration. The rebels pointedly omitted to applaud the prime minister's speech. And Fini reportedly called a meeting next week to discuss a new party, separate from Berlusconi's Freedom People movement.

"There are no alternatives to this government," the prime minister told the chamber of deputies in a speech, which revealed that he intended to split the body that oversees Italy's judges and prosecutors. A judicial reform bill would also impose stiffer penalties on "magistrates who erred", said Berlusconi, who is himself on trial in more than one case.

The prime minister refrained, however, from announcing any new measures to protect himself from the law – a key point of conflict with the rebels. In August, Fini's supporters set up their own parliamentary group, Future and Freedom for Italy (FLI), to press for more progressive policies and greater internal debate in the governing party.

The media tycoon, whose family's newspaper has since waged an unremitting and virulent campaign against Fini, told parliament: "I see and hear too much hate around ... We should all be aware of it and worried by it."

He said he was open to discussion on measures not covered by the original pact between members of his electoral alliance. But, he said, the debate in the governing majority had "exceeded the limits".

One reason given for the revolt was disquiet among Fini's supporters over allegations of corruption in the government, and Berlusconi's backing for accused ministers.

The rebels' position has been weakened by disclosures, particularly in Il Giornale, owned by Berlusconi's brother, linking Fini and his partner's family to a shady property deal involving an apartment in Monte Carlo and companies registered in an offshore tax haven.

In the horsetrading before today's debate, several deputies changed sides. One former opposition politician said he had since received threatening "letters and text messages".