Silvio Berlusconi’s cunning bid to foil rival for president

After sharing pictures of his 32-year-old girlfriend, the former Italian PM threatened to pull his Forza Italia party out of the ruling coalition and force snap elections.

Silvio Berlusconi, 85, shared a photograph of himself and his girlfriend Marta Fascina with a note wishing her a happy 32nd birthday.

Silvio Berlusconi has so far relied on flattery and charm in his attempt to become Italy’s next president but now he is getting tough, using cunning to see off his main contender, Mario Draghi.

Mr Draghi, 74, is said to be hoping to step down as prime minister and get himself picked next month as president by the just over 1000 MPs, senators and regional electors who vote.

Although a ceremonial role on paper, the seven-year presidential mandate means stepping in to appoint new governments during Italy’s frequent political crises.

Looking to have his cake and eat it, Mr Draghi aims to leave his coalition government intact and led by a stand-in prime minister until a general election due next year, giving the government one more precious year of stability to manage a €200bn spending plan to lift Italy out of its slump.

Now Mr Berlusconi, 85, has warned that if Mr Draghi moves out of the prime minister’s office, his Forza Italia party will pull out of the coalition and force snap elections, a tactic designed to make Mr Draghi stay put so Mr Berlusconi can seize the presidency. “That would be extremely grave,” said Enrico Letta, head of the Democratic Party which also shores up the coalition.

If Mr Berlusconi pulled his party out he would probably be followed by Matteo Salvini, the League leader, a death knell for the coalition. If snap elections are anathema to Mr Draghi, they are also scaring MPs who know they are unlikely to be re-elected and would prefer to hang on until the regularly scheduled vote in 2023.

“They want another year in parliament so Draghi as president is to be avoided at all costs,” said Vittorio Sgarbi, the MP, art critic and TV chat show regular.

Mr Berlusconi, a three-time prime minister who was last in office in 2011, expects at least 450 votes thanks to support from centre-right allies such as Mr Salvini. This is 55 short of the majority he needs to become president.

Mr Sgarbi, who has helped his campaign, said: “He invited me to dinner, told me he had 100 votes over the 450 he already has, and I said, ‘Let’s call them up’.”

Dialling the MPs, Mr Sgarbi would hand the phone to Mr Berlusconi. “Some of the MPs thought it was a joke; others became emotional because he is after all a symbol of Italy.”

The Times