Comic beats Silvio Berlusconi’s party at polls

A MAVERICK comic who wants Italy to quit the euro made big gains in local elections yesterday while former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s party lost heavily.

Prime minister Mario Monti was not in the race but for the two main parties that support his technocrat government in parliament, the centre-right People of Freedom (PDL) and the centre-left Democratc Party (PD), the vote was the biggest barometer of support ahead of national elections next year.

The 5 Star Movement led by Beppe Grillo, a shaggy-haired comedian whose caustic invective against the established parties has gained increasing resonance in the wake of a spate of corruption scandals, made some spectacular advances. In the northern city of Parma, it knocked Berlusconi’s PDL which had previously ruled the city, into third place, taking nearly 21 per cent, while in Genoa, it won 15 per cent.

At its first political test in 2010 the movement, which organises itself through the internet and social networks, won just 1.8 per cent of the vote, rising to 3.4 per cent at Milan’s mayoral election the following year.

“Grillo has confirmed his political existence. He’s the big winner,” said Maurizio Pessato, vice president of polling company SWG. “The weakness of the PDL was confirmed – it’s the biggest loser of this vote.”