March 3, 2002	Sunday	Zilhaj 18, 1422

ROME, March 2: At least 120,000 left-wing demonstrators took to the streets of Rome on Saturday to protest against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, accusing him of running Italy to further his own interests.

Waving red and olive green party flags, protesters from across the country converged on the capital, streaming past the Colosseum and the city’s other famous ruins in what organizers hoped would unite the often fractious opposition.

“We are here to protest peacefully against the man who thinks and acts like the owner of this country,” said Piero Fassino, head of the Democrats of the Left, the largest party in the centre-left opposition coalition.

“Today, with this enormous protest, the real challenge for Berlusconi starts,” he added.

Frustrated by a series of bills that have been rushed through parliament by the governing majority, Italy’s battling centre-left parties have vowed to take their fight to the streets in a unified show of strength.

Critics have attacked a number of policies adopted by the government, claiming they are aimed at protecting Berlusconi and his allies. But the final straw for the opposition, humiliated in elections last year, was a conflict of interest bill passed by the lower house this week.

Leftist lawmakers stormed out of parliament on Thursday, leaving the government’s majority to approve the controversial legislation which critics say is tailor-made to protect Berlusconi and his giant media empire.

His family holding company controls Mediaset, Italy’s largest private television network, as well as several other financial, advertising and sports interests.

Labour unions, angered by government plans to make it easier to fire workers, are lending their voices to the protests, although on Saturday Berlusconi appeared to soften his stance on labour and pension reform, offering to “take a step back”.

“ITALY NOT FOR SALE”: Organizers said about half a million people had turned out by late afternoon. Police estimates put the turnout at just over 120,000.

Activists donning Pinocchio noses and shouting “Down with Berlusconi!” flocked to the march. Others carried large signs bearing images of a dollar bill with Berlusconi in the centre that read: “Italy isn’t for sale; it’s mine.”

The conflict of interests bill was one of the most highly charged and divisive pieces of legislation that parliament has had to consider since Berlusconi came to power last June.

Still, the prime minister does not appear to have much to fear from the demonstrations due to a comfortable majority in parliament and strong support in opinion polls.

However, the marches may help unite the opposition. The centre-left was battered by Berlusconi’s victory last May and the several parties that represent the centre-left have been openly bickering since.

Opposition leaders were humiliated at their last protest march when Nanni Moretti, a leading film director and erstwhile ally of the opposition, took the podium and harangued them.—Reuters