A look at the main contenders for prime minister in Italy’s parliamentary election Sunday and where they stand on major issues:
CANDIDATES:
- FRANCESCO RUTELLI, 46, the center-left incumbent and a former mayor of Rome.
- SILVIO BERLUSCONI, 64, conservative media baron and former prime minister.
The two sides have few major policy differences. Here, however, are some of their positions:
- CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Berlusconi’s $12 billion empire includes Italy’s three main private TV channels and its largest publisher. If he wins, he will effectively control state television as well. Rutelli says conflicts of interest are a problem; Berlusconi says voters should trust him to act in their interest, not just his own.
- TAXES: Both sides promise tax cuts, but are vague on how to finance them. Berlusconi says he’ll abolish the inheritance tax and bring corporate and income taxes to 33 percent from the current 43 percent. Rutelli promises to bring taxes below 40 percent. Anything below that, he contends, would risk Italy’s participation in a common currency.
- CRIME: Berlusconi has tried to foster the perception that crime is on the rise and that illegal immigrants are at least partly to blame. He promises a crackdown. Rutelli also promises to curb illegal immigration, but doesn’t link immigration to crime. Officially, immigrants account for just over 2 percent of Italy’s population, a far lower percentage than in other major European countries.
- HEALTH CARE: Both sides say they want to preserve Italy’s national health care system, but Berlusconi advocates a greater role for private health care.
- EDUCATION: Berlusconi favors state subsidies for parochial and other private schools. Rutelli’s platform offers tuition assistance to low-income families that opt for private schools.
- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Both say they’ll create jobs through economic development, with special attention to the south.
- FOREIGN POLICY: Both coalitions are pro-European Union and pro-NATO. Berlusconi wants the EU to remain an alliance of sovereign nations with strong national identities, while Rutelli favors a stronger EU government with a strong executive. Neither side has expressed a position on President Bush’s proposal for a missile defense system, although the current government has welcomed a “dialogue” on the issue.
