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Friday, 4 May, 2001, 14:26 GMT 15:26 UK
ABC of the Italian election
![]() Francesco Rutelli: On the campaign trail in Sardinia
The Italian election is being contested by two broad coalitions of the centre-left and the centre-right, each with its own prime ministerial candidate.
Billionaire businessman Silvio Berlusconi, aged 64, is the candidate for the centre-right Freedom House coalition, built around his Forza Italia party. The former Mayor of Rome, 47-year-old Francesco Rutelli, is the candidate for the centre-left Olive Tree coalition, which has been in power for the last five years. Both are aiming for a majority of seats in the two houses of parliament, the 630-seat chamber of deputies, and the 315-seat senate. Coalition members Three quarters of members of each house are elected by a first-past-the-post system in local constituencies, the remainder by proportional representation. The parties in the Freedom House coalition include:
The parties in the Olive Tree coalition include:
Local elections will be held at the same time as the parliamentary vote. Mayors
Municipal elections will be held in 1,276 towns, including Rome, Milan, Turin and Naples. The most closely watched context will be in Rome, where Democrats of the Left leader Walter Veltroni is competing with centre-right candidate Antonio Tajani to succeed Francesco Rutelli. Post-election After the election the two houses of parliament will elect speakers and the members will form floor groups. President Carlo Azegil Ciampi will consult with the speakers, floor groups and former presidents, on whom to offer the prime ministership. He is under no constitutional obligation to favour the prime ministerial candidate put forward by the winning coalition. |
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