Silvio Berlusconi and the reconciliation with the Northern League

Monday, January 7, 2013. Silvio Berlusconi and Northern League's Roberto Maroni sign an agreement. With not many clear points on it, but an blurry alliance is better then no ally at all, isn't it.

Silvio's smiling?

Actually Silvio Berlusconi and Northern League's (Lega Nord) Roberto Maroni agreed to disagree, yesterday, since the only sure thing about the pact is that the NL does not want the Italian former prime minister and media tycoon to stand for head of government, and he (I mean the tycoon) had to agree, otherwise he would find himself without an ally, and hordes of enemies. 

So, who will be the candidate for this centre-right coalition? "I already proposed he's candidacy, and I think it will be he again, Angelino Alfano" said the former prime minister, when interviewed by Italian radio broadcaster RTL.

The Game of the Year: try to reassemble the centre-right
(from left: Silvio, Angelino, Roberto)

“Alfano is a good guy” replied the leader of the Northern League “but we support Giulio Tremonti”, Berlusconi's Economy and Finance Minister, accused by Umberto Bossi (former NL leader, now apparently disappeared from the political scene of Italy) to have done “shameful things” in order to try and balance the budget.

Tremonti has drawn up an obscure list (the umpteenth list to have sprung up like a mushroom...), for the incoming elections, dubbed LLL (Labour and Liberty List).

The pact between Northern League and the remains of the PdL (People of Liberty party) is “the agreement of the desperation”, according to Berlusconi former ally Pier Ferdinando Casini (and now one of Silvio's staunchest enemies), hinting at the tenuous chances that both sides hold in the elections.

The good news for Berlusconi and friends is that the possibility of a row over the name of their candidate to reside in Palazzo Chigi (official residence of prime minister of Italy) is very remote, since they would discuss the matter only if the won the elections.