Berlusconi losing local elections
Premier Silvio Berlusconi suffered a heavy blow after two days of local polling across Italy, losing his stronghold Milan and the southern city of Naples, projections and partial returns showed today.
The defeat further weakens Mr Berlusconi, already hit by sex scandals and falling approval ratings, and will likely deepen rifts with government ally, the Northern League, which had been critical of the electoral campaign in Milan and will be furious to have lost the north’s most important city.
