WSJ: Monti details his game plan for election

28 December 2012

Mario Monti, Italy's outgoing technocrat prime minister, outlined his plan to remain in the political game, saying that he would serve as coalition leader for small parties that band together to support his agenda.

By personally entering the race, Mr Monti aims to secure a bargaining role in the formation of the next government—which requires blocking the leading left-centre party from making a clean sweep of the vote. Mr Monti also explained the tactics his backers will use in the February 24 general election, saying that—while they are free to run under local banners and small-party names in the Parliament race—his allies will unite to form a single list on the ballot for the Senate. Some Italian political analysts say the effort to unify sympathisers into a cohesive movement is Mr Monti's best chance to prevent a resounding victory by the Democratic Party.

Mr Monti said Italy's financial crisis, which precipitated his rise in late 2011, is now over, but that the country faces a potentially larger problem in unemployment.

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