Italy faces snap poll as reform thwarted (Financial Times)

Italy was heading for snap parliamentary elections last night after Silvio Berlusconi, opposition leader adn former prime minister, successfully thwarted efforts initiate by the head of state to delay polls untile after reform of the voting system. Early elections wuold appear to benefit Mr Berlusconi, a billionaire businessman whose centre-right coalition is riding high in opinion pools. Media under his control have already started his Forza Italia electoral campaign with promises to cut taxes and crime. Franco Marini, centre-left speacker of the Senate, had been given teh mandate by President Giogio Napolitano last week to try to form an interim government. However, after four days of consultations with party leaders he admitted defeat last night. Mr Napolitano did not make an immediate public announcement but politicians said they expected him to dissolve paliament, possibly tomorrow, and set a date for elections in carly April. (…)

Berlusconi’s long shadow casts a chill over italian politics (the Washington Post)

To Silvia Tomassini owner of a boutique in Rome’s ancient centre, Silvio Berlusconi is “arrogant”. At 71, he’s too old. He endless commits “brutta figura” wich loosely means that you can’t take the man anywhere nice (…)

Italia, abocada a celebrar elecciones anticipadas en apbril (el Pais)

El presidente del Senado fracassa en su intento de formar Gobierno.  Italia irà a las urnas con toda probabilidad el pròximo mes de abril para salir de la actual crisis politica que padece. El presidente del Senado, Franco Marini, renunciò ayer al mandato del presidente della repùblica Giorgio Napolitano, de formar Gobierno por fracasas en su intento de hallar un acuerdo entre las fuerzas politicas para reformar la ley electoral “no he podigo encontrar la mayoria suficiente” dijo Marini (…)