CAIRO: Tens of thousands of activists gathered in Rome on Saturday to demonstrate against Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi. The leader of Italy's Democratic Party, Pierluigi Bersani addressed the crowd of protesters, asking opposition parties to work together towards forming a new government. “If there is discontinuity and change, we are ready with the other opposition to create a new government,” Bersani reportedly told demonstrators. Six members of Berlusconi's party approached him this week, urging him to step down to allow for a new coalition of leaders to take place. Despite the calls for resignation, Berlusconi says he will not step down, claiming that it is his duty to remain in power. “Either he goes alone or we send him home, in Parliament or through elections. But he has to go home,” said Bersani, receiving a cheer of applaud from the crowd. A debt crisis in the country has sparked fights within Berlusconi's coalition, stymieing reform and increasing public doubt about Berlusconi's leadership. After a G20 summit meeting addressing the euro zone debt crisis, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) decided that it would monitor Italy's efforts to get their debt crisis under control– a move considered embarrassing by many in Italy. Although Europe bailed out Ireland, Greece and Portugal, economists consider Italy, the third largest economy in the euro zone, to big to bail out. Berlusconi has promised a confidence vote on legislation designed to revitalize Italy's economy. BM
