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Berlusconi defiant in face of turmoil
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| Contributor | ... |
| Last Edited | ... Jul 15, 2004 05:39pm |
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| Category | News |
| News Date | Thursday, July 15, 2004 06:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | By Paolo Biondi
ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is seeking to heal wounds in his lacerated government by offering concessions to his allies, and says he expects to remain in power for a full, five-year term.
But his bid to reunite the fractious administration was complicated by a rebellious coalition party, which defied its partners and voted with the opposition to remove the board of influential state broadcaster RAI.
Speaking to the lower house of parliament on Wednesday, a sombre Berlusconi promised to modify plans to cut taxes, overhaul the electoral system and find a new economy minister in an effort to satisfy his restive cabinet.
"I am certain, absolutely certain that we will know how to recover the ideal impetus to honour the commitment we made with Italians," Berlusconi told a packed, boisterous chamber.
Centre-left opposition parties derided his speech, which came barely an hour after the Democratic Union of the Centre (UDC) coalition party moved to oust the RAI board against the wishes of its three coalition allies.
The UDC has complained that RAI directors are biased in favour of Berlusconi and said recent controversial alterations to the Italian media law made a change of guard imperative.
Another coalition party, the populist Northern League, said the vote in a parliamentary commission meant Berlusconi no longer enjoyed a ruling majority.
"The majority no longer exists, Berlusconi should act on it," said League veteran and Labour Minister Roberto Maroni.
The UDC insisted that the RAI vote was tied to a single, isolated issue and was not aimed at sinking the government. |
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