Berlusconi faces troubles from his own allies

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Berlusconi faces troubles from his own allies
By Alessandra Rizzo
Associated Press Writer / April 30, 2010

ROME—Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi faced more trouble from within his coalition Friday, days after a public feud with his main ally undermined the cohesion of his government.

A Cabinet minister faced calls to resign after he became implicated in a judicial probe. And another party member quit a high-profile job in parliament, accusing Berlusconi of seeking to silence dissent.

While the stability of Berlusconi's two-year-old government is not at immediate risk, the infighting has exposed rifts and raised the possibility of early elections in 2011-- which would be two years ahead of schedule.

"The majority party lives in a climate of mutual suspicion," Stefano Folli, a leading Italian analyst, wrote in Friday's editions of Il Sole 24 Ore.



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