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Italy MPs demand Berlusconi resignation

02 December 2010 22:22 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. A group composed of some 100 center-right Italian lawmakers have called for the Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, to resign, APA reports quoting Press TV.

Berlusconi is preparing for key confidence votes that are due to be held in the lower and upper houses of parliament this month.

"The deputies ... agree on the need to ensure the country has a solid and stable government to face up to the grave social and economic crisis," said a statement published after a meeting of five center-right parties.

The anti Berlusconi group is made up of allies of former Berlusconi loyalist-turned-bitter rival Gianfranco Fini, two rebel deputies from Berlusconi’s own People of Freedom party, as well as three smaller parties.

Emma Marcegaglia, the head of Italy’s employers’ federation, said the country was "in paralysis" because Berlusconi and his allies were spending too much time dealing with scandals and corruption allegations.

"A new wave of mud-slinging is eroding the credibility of public institutions and of the government," said Marcegaglia. "There is a strong feeling of mistrust, a sense of confusion and dismay. We need to recover a sense of dignity."

"Berlusconi must resign," said Antonio Di Pietro, the leader of the Italy of Values Party and a former anti-corruption investigator. "If he does not want to do it for Italians, he should do it for himself.