The battle to lead Italy's largest political movement is proving closer than expected, as Democratic Party leader Pierluigi Bersani failed to clinch the nomination as a candidate for prime minister in the first round of a primary vote.
Mr Monti said on television late Sunday that he hoped Italy's next government wouldn't be technical in nature and didn't exclude anything regarding his own possible role in the country's political future.
Polling reports suggested Mr Renzi had also performed strongly in wealthy northern Italy, long Mr Berlusconi's bastion of votes and a thorn in the side of the Italian left. Italy's electoral law is being revised, creating confusion about what kind of alliances might be needed to win a majority.
Mr Bersani is open to an alliance with centrists—who explicitly want Mr Monti to serve another term as prime minister—while Mr Renzi excludes such a coalition, saying his party's natural ally is a left-wing movement led by Nichi Vendola, who won 15 per cent of Sunday's primary ballots.
Next week's outcome is uncertain because primaries are a novelty in Italy. Mr Berlusconi's conservative party has never held one and the centre-left only began in 2005, usually to ratify a leader chosen by party officials.
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