Leaders Of Italy's Center-Right Back Berlusconi As Presidential Candidate

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Leaders of Italy's Center-Right Back Berlusconi as Presidential Candidate

ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2022) Leaders of Italy's center-right parties supported former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Friday as a candidate to run in the upcoming presidential elections, according to a joint statement signed after an informal meeting in the politician's residence Villa Grande in Rome.

The meeting was attended by the right-wing Lega party leader, Matteo Salvini, the right-wing Fratelli d'Italia party leader, Giorgia Meloni, the chiefs of smaller centrist political organizations, and Berlusconi himself, heading the right-wing Forza Italia party.

"The center-right forces, which have a relative majority in the assembly convened to elect a new head of state, have the right and duty to propose a candidate for the highest position of power. The coalition leaders agreed that Silvio Berlusconi is the right person to take the high position at these trying times, having the authority and experience that the country deserves and Italians expect," the statement said.

After the meeting, Maurizio Lupi, the leader of the center-right Noi Con L'Italia party, told reporters that a new center-right meeting will take place next week. Before that, the politicians agreed to start a dialogue in the parliament to settle on real conditions for Berlusconi being elected as the Italian president.

In the past few weeks, the 85 year old has made it clear that he is willing to take up the office of Italian president as soon as it becomes vacant in early February.

Berlusconi was the Italian prime minister three times, occupying the post in 1994-1995, 2001-2006 and 2008-2011.