Berlusconi Denies Rumors He is About to Quit

At Der Spiegel:

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has denied speculation he is about to resign due to a looming rebellion in his party. Financial markets rose on the rumors he may quit, then fell after his denial, in a sign of how desperately investors want him to go.

Silvio Berlusconi was reported on Monday to be fighting a last stand to stay in power after leaders of his PDL party urged him to step down in talks on Sunday night. He faces a possible defeat in parliament on Tuesday in a vote to confirm a state financing bill which he has already lost once.

Newspapers estimated there are 20 to 40 potential defectors in his party, more than enough to bring down his government. A defeat on Tuesday is expected to lead to his immediate resignation or to a confidence vote.
Berlusconi is labelling the rebels as traitors to their country at a time of crisis and warning that his resignation would lead to an early election, which most MPs from his party don't want.

Two journalists with close links to Berlusconi fanned the speculation of his imminent departure on Monday. Giuliano Ferrara, editor of the Foglio newspaper and a former minister, said on his website: "That Silvio Berlusconi is about to resign is clear. It is a question of hours, some say of minutes."

Franco Bechis, deputy editor of the center-right Libero newspaper, said on Twitter that the 75-year-old leader would step down Monday night or Tuesday morning.

Berlusconi said on his Facebook page: "Rumors of my resignation are baseless." News agency Ansa quoted him as saying he didn't understand how such rumors could arise.

Berlusconi left Rome on Monday morning and travelled to Milan for lunch with his children.

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