Berlusconi considers political comeback

ROME - Reuters

French President Sarkozy (R) speaks as German Chancellor Merkel (C) receives help from Italian PM Berlusconi in Paris in this 2008 photo. AP photo

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said yesterday that he was considering the political situation closely and would decide on what course of action to take once the results of a primary by his center-left adversaries was clear.

In the latest of several switches of position, Berlusconi said at the weekend he was considering whether or not to stand in the national election expected in March, having previously said he would not run.
In an interview with his own Canale 5 television station yesterday, Berlusconi gave no details but said he would decide what to do once it was clear who would be the main centre-left candidate in the 2013 election. “It think that it’s right for someone who had the honor of leading the Italian government for almost 10 years to reflect on the way to achieve this modernization of Italy, this liberal revolution,” he said.

The center-left run-off to pick the candidate to fight to succeed Mario Monti as prime minister will take place next weekend. Il Giornale, a newspaper owned by his family, reported that he was considering setting up a new party and would make an announcement this week. Monti, a former European commissioner, took over from Silvio Berlusconi a year ago as Italy struggled with the eurozone crisis.