ITALY/FILE: Outgoing Rome mayor Walter Veltroni challenges Berlusconi in Italian elections

Record ID: 715568

  • Title: ITALY/FILE: Outgoing Rome mayor Walter Veltroni challenges Berlusconi in Italian elections
  • Date: 11th April 2008
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (FILE - FEBRUARY 17, 2008) (REUTERS) WALTER VELTRONI POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHS IN FRONT OF CAMPAIGN BUS CAMPAIGN BUS WITH SLOGAN 'SI PUO FARE' WRITTEN ON SIDE, DRIVING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 26th April 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAPYGO2G3FBSKCXGRK7OFQAHWM
  • Story Text: Walter Veltroni is taking on centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi in the battle for undecided voters as Italy moves towards the April 13-14 elections.
    Considered a young man in Italian politics at only 52 years old, ex-Communist Veltroni has in fact been in politics for close to thirty years.
    Starting as a local councillor and then member of the Italian and European parliaments, Veltroni later served as deputy prime minister in Romano Prodi's first government in 1996-1998. He was elected Rome mayor in 2001 and again in 2006.
    Today Veltroni sees himself as a moderate and has modelled himself on Barack Obama, the Illinois senator running for the U.S. Democratic presidential nomination. Dumping traditional far-left allies from his Democratic Party, which have previously brought down governments, Veltroni is campaigning by himself on a platform of change.
    'For all those Italians who want to be European citizens, the innovative offer of the end of a forced bi-polarism is what coincides with their wishes. Yes we can,' Veltroni told reporters as he announced his campaign.
    Obama's 'Yes we can' catchphrase has been translated as 'Si Puo Fare' and is blazoned across Veltroni's green eco-friendly campaign buses used to travel the nation.
    But while Veltroni has been catching up with Berlusconi in the polls, few people believe he will carry home a victory.
    'At this stage in the game, his chances are very, very slim' said politics professor at the American University of Rome James Walston.
    'He has a chance of making a very good showing, of being a serious leader of the opposition, but unless something very dramatic happens between now and 13th of April, Veltroni's chances are very slim,' Walston said.
    Veltroni's appeal is that of an intellectual. He has published several novels and is a fan of jazz and movies, creating the Rome Film Festival from scratch in 2006. Walking down a red carpet with Hollywood names such as Sophia Loren is normal for Veltroni.
    But the paparazzi glitz hasn't quite carried over to his election campaign. At times even Veltroni has looked bored as party members drone on about his election manifesto. A far cry from the tacky showbusiness style of his rival.
    Shunning well choreographed rallies, Veltroni has taken his campaigning to local piazzas mixing with Italians in their own streets. He often looks almost out of place, embarrassed, as hordes of people shout his name. That is another thing that certainly cannot be said of Berlusconi.
    Veltroni has surprised many, coming almost from nowhere and proving real competition for Berlusconi. But few feel that his down-to-earth manner will be enough to sway the majority vote in a country where image counts for so much.

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