Prodi, Berlusconi Battle Over Giving Powers to Italy's Regions

[Judi Lynn]

Prodi, Berlusconi Battle Over Giving Powers to Italy's Regions

June 23 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Romano Prodi urged Italians to vote against a plan backed by Silvio Berlusconi to turn over more power to Italy's regions, saying the proposal will shred the country's 58-year-old constitution.

Berlusconi, whom Prodi ousted from power in April, has called on Italians to put off trips to the beach and go to the polls this weekend to support the referendum. Berlusconi and his allies proposed the constitutional change that will give more executive powers to the prime minister and turn over control of schools, police and health care to regional authorities.

The referendum is as much about party politics as constitutional change. A ``No'' vote may strengthen Prodi who came to power in the closest election in Italian history, by splitting Berlusconi's coalition and limiting the threat to Prodi's narrow parliamentary majority. Prodi, 66, won just a two-seat majority in the Italian Senate.

``The issues of the constitutional changes have been set aside and it has become a political battle,'' said Maurizio Pessato, chief executive officer of SWG Srl polling company in Trieste, Italy. ``Prodi will be stronger if Italians reject the law, and he will be weaker if they embrace it.''
(snip/...)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=atq2tSnYjnSc&refer=europe

[JI7]

1. fuck Berlosconi

the prick belongs in prison

[Vidar]

2. Go get 'em, Prodi!

[ananda]

3. It's 60% against..

.. whew.

[Joe Chi Minh]

4. Divide and misrule.