20 November 2009 / REUTERS, ROME
Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative People of Freedom (PDL) coalition has bolstered its popularity despite judicial problems dogging the Italian prime minister and splits among its leadership, according to an opinion poll on Thursday.
The survey, carried out for the pro-government newspaper Libero by the respected Piepoli institute, showed the PDL increasing its share of voting intentions to 38.5 percent, versus the 35.3 percent it garnered in July’s European elections. The poll was carried out before this week’s talk of early elections. Pollster Nicola Piepoli said, however, that when the poll was taken political parties were focused on regional elections due in March. The main opposition Democratic Party (PD) also saw its popularity rise to 27.5 percent from 26.1 percent. The main losers were smaller coalition partners on the left and right and independent parties, according to the survey. The figures contrasted with a survey by pollsters ISPO, published in late October in Corriere della Sera newspaper, which showed the government’s popularity slipping.
