Italy's Leader Balances Ambitions and Trials

(Page 2 of 2) There are few better examples of the sky-high profile that Mr. Berlusconi has tried to establish than his peripatetic effort to win a role in the debate over an American-led military strike against Iraq, pledging almost unfettered allegiance to the United States.

In the span of one recent week, he flew to London to meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair, then to Washington to meet with Mr. Bush, then to Moscow for a talk with Mr. Putin.

But he did not succeed in coaxing Mr. Putin toward the American view on Iraq. He also put himself at odds with Italian public opinion, which runs strongly against war, and with France and Germany.

"At the end of this year, Italy will hold the rotating presidency of the European Union, and now he's playing a card that fractures the union," said Luciano Violante, the opposition leader in the lower chamber of the Parliament.

"He thinks with a market mentality," said Mr. Violante, who proceeded to imagine Mr. Berlusconi's calculations: "Who's the strongest in the market now? Bush? O.K., let's go with Bush!"

The prime minister's aides disputed that characterization, drawing attention to his recent statements that he would prefer United Nations backing for a military strike. They said he was trying to forge a consensus.

They also said that Italians cared about nuts-and-bolts issues like public works, tax breaks and pension and labor reform, and noted that Mr. Berlusconi had made modest progress along those lines.

"He's a very concrete, practical person," said Paolo Bonaiuti, his spokesman, pulling out a thick book in which the prime minister's promises, plans and timetable for governing have been compiled.

"It's a way to understand Mr. Berlusconi," Mr. Bonaiuti said. "Every month, he looks at this, and asks, `Where are we?' "

At least two of his promises, however, have not materialized. The economy is worse, not better, than when he took office. His aides — and, fortunately for him, many Italians — chalk that up to a global slowdown and other factors beyond Mr. Berlusconi's control.

He also has not enacted a conflict-of-interest law that would put more distance between him and his media holdings. His opponents, along with many independent political analysts, find that particularly disturbing, citing his potential to control the information that Italians receive.

"He's not manipulating it right now," said Sergio Romano, a former ambassador for Italy to NATO and a columnist for Corriere della Sera. "But he could do it later. It's not a healthy situation, and principles do matter."

<<Previous | 1 | 2