GOVERNMENT JOLTED BY REGIONAL ELECTIONS

P remier D'Alema thrust himself into the electoral battle replying to Berlusconi's challenge. Despite criticism by some of his allies who feared the regional administrative character of the polls might be perverted, he had implicitly accepted to transform this competition into a vote in favor or against his government.

In these elections the center-right allied with the Lega Nord and submitted a federalist project that was clearly accepted by voters of the South too. Actually, adhesions to the center-right coalition that has now taken on the name of " House of Freedom" have not experienced a decrease.

In 1994 Umberto Bossi's Lega Nord allied with the Polo della Libertà government, but after a few months withdrew the vote of confidence granted to Berlusconi's government that was thus overthrown.

Center right leaders, considering the government in minority, immediately asked it to resign. D'Alema, though underlining that from a constitutional viewpoint he does not have to resign, submitted his resignation to the president of the Republic for " political sensitiveness" and stated "I shall not be the next Premier".

President Ciampi deferred him to Parliament that will thus have to decide on the government's resignation during the debate due to start on Wednesday April 19.