ITALY: Thousands march through Rome in support of Berlusconi's People of Freedom party a week before regional elections

Record ID: 212654

  • Title: ITALY: Thousands march through Rome in support of Berlusconi's People of Freedom party a week before regional elections
  • Date: 21st March 2010
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (MARCH 20, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS ARRIVING IN PIZZA SAN GIOVANNI (ROME) CLOSE UP OF BANNER SAYING "WE PREDICT A VICTORIOUS FUTURE" VARIOUS DEMONSTRATORS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) YOUTH POLICIES MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI SAYING: ''It's a rally to gather support from our people and ask for the right for citizens to express their support for the government.'' DEMONSTRATORS WITH BANNERS POLICE BANNERS WITH FIRE CRACKERS BAND PDL (PEOPLE'S FREEDOM PARTY) BANNER PROCESSION OF 'YOUNG ITALY' GROUP OF DEMONSTRATORS WITH ITALIAN FLAGS SMOKE AND DEMONSTRATORS (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) PROTESTER FRANCESCO MIZZONI SAYING: ''We've come to demonstrate for our rights. We've been deprived by a left wing that is oppressing us, and it's become an impossible and ridiculous situation.'' DEMONSTRATORS WITH BANNERS SHOUTING 'SILVIO, YOU'RE GREAT' BANNERS DEMONSTRATORS IN PIAZZA SAN GIOVANNI DEMONSTRATORS WITH A BANNER READING: 'BORN WITH BERLUSCONI, RAISED FREE' 100 METRE LONG ITALIAN FLAG POLICE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT RALLY (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI SAYING: "Thank you for coming all the way here for this great celebration of freedom (PEOPLE CHEERING) And we are many, we are the men and women who love freedom and who want to remain free." SLOGAN BEHIND BERLUSCONI READING: "LOVE ALWAYS WINS OVER ENVY AND HATE." VARIOUS OF CROWD CHANTING 'SILVIO' BERLUSCONI STANDING AT PODIUM
  • Embargoed: 5th April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7WD6RL9BG8C2YGNF0GQWJ55JF
  • Story Text: Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through Rome on Saturday (March 20) to show their solidarity with Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi ahead of the regional elections on March 28-29. Organisers from his ruling PDL (People of Freedom) party had arranged for thousands of coaches to bring supporters from all over Italy to Rome, and were hoping for a turn out of at least 500,000 people.
    Waving banners, shouting slogans and throwing fire crackers, demonstrators marched through the streets of Rome in two separate processions towards the historic piazza San Giovanni, where ministers and electoral candidates from the PDL gathered to address the crowds.
    Youth Policies Minister Giorgia Meloni described the demonstration as 'a rally to gather support from our people and ask for the right for citizens to express their support for the government.' Protester Francesco Mizzoni said he'd come with others to demonstrate for his rights.
    ''We've been deprived by a left wing that is oppressing us, and it's become an impossible and ridiculous situation,'' he said.
    Thousands of people listened to Berlusconi address the crowds where his awaiting audience showed their support by cheering and waving flags.
    The Italian president thanked his supporters and said he is a great supporter of freedom,
    "Thank you for coming all the way here for this great celebration of freedom (PEOPLE CHEERING) And we are many, we are the men and women who love freedom and who want to remain free." Said Berlusconi.
    During the rally a song was also sang paying tribute to the Italian president, singing 'we are with you, thank god Silvio is here, we are with you, thank god Silvio is here'.
    The electoral campaign has been largely dominated by the exclusion from the ballot in Lazio of candidates from Italy's ruling coalition. In a setback to Berlusconi, his conservative party was left off the ballot in the key province, which includes the capital, after failing to submit documents to the electoral office in time. PDL's appeal against the decision was later rejected by a court.
    Italy holds regional elections on March 28-29, in a vote widely seen as a national test of the popularity of Berlusconi's government. An opinion poll published last month showed Berlusconi's own personal approval rating slipping to 46 percent after remaining at or above 50 percent for long periods.
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