PIerluigi Bersani (Ansa)

Pier Luigi Bersani started off with a huge advantage. Now the gap between his main opponent Silvio Berlusconi has been reduced. Despite this, the leader of PD still remains the most likely successor to Mario Monti at the head of the government. Bersani, 61, who shares a birthday with the Cavaliere (both born on September 29), has been secretary of the PD since 2009: he would be the first politician former member of the Italian Communist Party to arrive at Palazzo Chigi via the elections.

Massimo D'Alema, a former communist too, was Prime Minister between 1998-2000 only because he was but supported by a majority in parliament formed after the fall of Romano Prodi.
But there are no communist in the PD and Bersani is not a communist anymore. His style is pragmatic and reformist. He was president of the region, Emilia Romagna, and more than once a minister in center-left governments. The chapter which perhaps he is most proud of is the liberalization made when he was Minister of Economic Development. A ministry he now wants to empower in order to encourage growth along with the real economy rather than just finance. His motto: «Liberalization is politically left-wing because it applies precise rules to the market». Committed to this, if he wins there will be new input on matters relating to «the life of ordinary people»: drugstores, energy, insurance and telecommunication.

The challenges facing Bersani will, however, not be easy. His coalition, formed with PD and SEL, a left-wing party led by Nichi Vendola, will according to forecasts not command a big enough majority by itself. Consequently it will have to form an alliance with the centrist coalition of Mario Monti, which will not at all be an straightforward option. Bersani said the priority of his future government will be employment. Positions on this issue are split, as pointed out by the key players themselves. Yesterday Monti stated: «Vendola and I, we are light years apart with regard to our visions of the world and what it takes to boost employment». These are phrases spoken during the election campaign: after the vote of course the picture may change. Cohesion and change, Bersani said, can live together. A magic formula that the Secretary will need to try once he has moved into Palazzo Chigi.
(Traduzione di James Tierney)