The billionaire businessman, speaking to Corriere della Sera, reiterated that his party would decide on its support for Monti measure by measure. He also indicated he won't budge in his opposition to a tax on wealth that Monti is considering as one of his first actions to bring in revenue.
Monti — a former European Union competition commissioner, who replaced Berlusconi as premier last week after the markets pounded Italy — is leading a new government tasked with trying to save the country from financial ruin.
In just under a week, Monti has assembled a Cabinet of bankers, business executives, professors and other non-elected technocrats such as himself.
While he has easily won confidence votes, he will need the support of Berlusconi's conservatives — the largest party in Parliament — to push through harsher austerity cuts and new taxes likely to be unpopular with Italians
Berlusconi, asked in the interview if he and his forces had asked Monti to renounce plans to put together a campaign lineup, replied: "It's true. We asked him and all his ministers to publicly commit themselves to not run as candidates in the next elections."
Monti effectively ruled himself out of the spring election on Friday, when reporters asked him about his plans. But he stopped short of a flat-out denial of any political intentions.
