Key Silvio Berlusconi ally unveils demands

Silvio Berlusconi’s coalition partner, emboldened by the Italian Prime Minister’s debilitating legal woes, warned yesterday that his continued support would come at a cost.

“Dear Berlusconi, your capacity (to lead the centre-right) is in question if certain things are not done,” Umberto Bossi told the annual meeting of his populist Northern League party in the northern town of Pontida.

“Berlusconi should not take anything as a given,” Mr Bossi told party stalwarts after the government suffered two drubbings at the polls in the past month and the scandal-plagued Prime Minister’s approval rating is at an all-time low.

“The League can call a halt” and leave the coalition, he intoned, unveiling a list of demands starting with “reducing tax pressure which has exceeded tolerable limits”.

“We can find the money,” he said, addressing himself to Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti – a member of Mr Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party but who is considered close to the Northern League.

“Already a handsome billion euros” could be saved by winding down peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Afghanistan and Libya, he said. “Another billion” could come from saving on energy costs, he added.

Mr Bossi also called on Mr Berlusconi to “reduce the waste and the costs of politics” in Italy, where lawmakers’ salaries and party financing are among the highest in Europe.

“Enough of official cars financed by the taxpayer,” he said. “Mine I bought myself.”

The crusty head of the anti-immigration party also reiterated long-standing demands to move at least four government ministries to the north, saying the cost would be minimal because the mayor of Monza, near Mr Berlusconi’s native Milan, “is making his royal villa available”.

Mr Bossi, who will be 70 in September, warned that the 74-year-old Prime Minister’s leadership of Italy’s centre-right could end with the next scheduled elections in 2013, while ruling out an earlier split at a “time that is favourable to the left”.

He also soft-pedalled his references to the Northern League’s founding dream of autonomy or even independence from Rome for the northern region, dubbed Padania.

Over shouts of “secession, secession”, Mr Bossi vowed that “Padanian identity will get new wings this year” as he puts “very very strong pressure” on Rome for further devolution of powers.

The Northern League advocates small government – notably fiscal federalism to stop the flow of northern tax money to the impoverished south.

“If Lombardy was independent we would be one of the richest regions in Europe,” said Ombretta Monicelli, 65, referring to the northern area with Milan as its capital.

Twins Roberto and Paolo Locati, 27, wore T-shirt with the slogans “Padania is not Italy” and “No longer a slave to Rome”.

Roberto said reform was needed to allow the north to keep a greater share of the taxes it collects, “otherwise we’ll go back to the ballot box”.

His brother said Mr Berlusconi must quit at the 2013 election. “People are getting more and more sick of him,” he said.

Giovanna Ferrante, 55, said the Prime Minister’s escapades had been “exaggerated” by the press, however.

Mr Berlusconi is a defendant in three ongoing trials involving allegations of bribery, fraud, abuse of power and paying for sex with a 17-year-old girl – charges he has laughed off.

The leader suffered a trouncing in referendums last week that wiped out his plans to return Italy to nuclear power and dismissed a law designed to keep him out of court.