Italy

Country: Italy

No. of MEPs: 78

Predicted turnout: 60 per cent

Turnout 1999: 70.8 per cent

Political parties: FI Forza Italia
AN Alleanza Nazionale
LN Lega Nord
CCD-CDU Centro Cristiano Democratico
SVP Südtiroler Volkspartei
VERDI Federazione dei Verdi
SDI Socialisti Democratici Italiani
PdCI Partito dei Comunisti Italiani
PRC Partito Rifondazione Comunista
Union Valdôtaine
Lista BONINO
Partito Pensionati
PATTO Partito dei liberaldemocratici
The Olive Tree coalition: DS  Democratici di Sinistra; DL  La Margherita - Democrazia e Libertà
NPSI Nuovo Partito Socialista Italiano
MRE Movimento Reppublicani Europei

Election themes: Italians name unemployment and terrorism as their main concerns ahead of European elections. European Commission chief Romano Prodi originally said his left-wing coalition party the Olive Tree supported the idea of pulling troops out of Iraq, but has since had to qualify this by saying they should not leave if they are still needed. Personal animosity between Prodi and Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi (who is heading the list of right wing Forza Italia candidates) is giving the election campaign an extra dimension. Prodi is not running for election himself, and although Berlusconi is on the list of candidates he would not take a seat if elected.

Personalities: Romano Prodi, European Commission chief and the force behind the reunification of the centre left under the Olive Tree banner. Silvio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister and leader of Forza Italia.

Polling day: June 12

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