Abstract
As summed up by Denis Verdini, coordinator of Forza Italia (FI), in an interview in La Repubblica after the constitutional congress of People of Liberty (PdL) at the end of March 2009, “It is more difficult to unite the elites than to unite the voters.” This assessment is especially apt considering the tensions that have characterized relations between allies in the government during the early part of the current coalition’s tenure. This analysis can be extended to the entire government, which, beyond the newly formed PdL—composed of FI, the National Alliance (AN), and a small sub-group of the Christian Democrats who support northern Italian autonomy—also includes the Northern League (LN) of Umberto Bossi and some smaller parties, represented by a team of junior ministers: the Liberal Populists (a faction within the PdL), the Christian Democratic Party (DC), and the Movement for Autonomy (MpA) of the president of Sicily, Raffaele Lombardo.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
