Monti won't run but could still rule

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, who handed his resignation in on Friday, will not directly campaign to run the country. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

ITALY'S caretaker Premier Mario Monti has said he won't run in February elections, but if political parties that back his anti-crisis agenda ask him to head the next government he would consider the offer.

Mr Monti ruled out heading any ticket himself, saying "I have no sympathy for 'personal' parties."

At a news conference, Mr Monti also made clear he was spurning an offer from his predecessor Silvio Berlusconi to run on a centre-right election ticket backed by the media mogul, citing Mr Berlusconi's heavy criticism of his economic policies.

Mr Monti's decision ends weeks of speculation that have dominated Italian politics and preoccupied Europe, which is eager to see Mr Monti's financial reforms continue.

The premier, an economist who has spent 13 months tasked with trying to right Italy's troubled economy, said Mr Berlusconi's flipping back and forth between condemning the government's economic policies and then praising the premier convinced him that "I couldn't accept his offer".

Mr Monti was tapped by Italy's president to lead the country after Berlusconi was forced to resign, having lost the confidence of international markets. He stepped down on Friday after Mr Berlusconi's party withdrew its support from his technical government, but has been asked stay on in a caretaker capacity in the run-up to Febraury 24-25 elections.

Other centrists parties in Parliament have been urging him to run for another stint as premier. Mr Monti said "I won't line up with anyone," but made clear he was available to head the next government.

"If one or more political forces is credibly backing (Mr Monti's) agenda or even has a better one, I'd evaluate the offer," Mr Monti said.

"I don't like aligning myself with parities, but with themes" of a political and economic agenda, Mr Monti added.

Mr Monti expressed gratitude to Mr Berlusconi for his backing of key anti-crisis measures as pension reform.

"But I struggle to understand his line of thought," he said. "Yesterday, we read that he assessed the work of the (Monti) government to be a complete disaster. A few days earlier I read flattering things."

The logic of Mr Berlusconi's positions "escapes me" and "I couldn't accept his offer," Mr Monti said, drawing chuckles.
 

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