Dissent within their ranks gave the opposition bloc led by Silvio Berlusconi and his Forza-Italia party a 50.7 per cent win in the local elections in April 2000 and a head start for May 2001. Despite Rutelli's presence on the ticket, polls in March give Berlusconi the best chance of being the next Italian premier. The media tycoon formed a pact with the far-right National Alliance party and the Northern League, which wants devolved powers and fewer foreigners in Italy. Their candidates ran in April 2000 and will run in 2001 on platforms based on slashing taxes, cracking down on crime and cutting immigration. The center-left candidates will choose platforms based on present policies that have that proved successful in reviving Italy's economy and raising Italy's significance in world affairs.
Internal dissent continues to mar their election chances.
The center-left suffered another setback in July, losing both a voice and ally when l'Unita, the leftist daily newspaper went into receivership. For the first time ever national elections will be held in conjunction with local polling.