Berlusconi wants to made amends with Alfano

Ex-premier split with heir apparent over bid to sink Letta

(ANSA) - Rome, May 16 - Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi said Friday that he wants a rapprochement with his former heir apparent, Interior Minister Angelino Alfano. Alfano split with Berlusconi and formed a splinter party, the New Centre Right (NCD), after disagreeing with Berlusconi's attempt to bring down the coalition government of ex-premier Enrico Letta last year. The executive survived after Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party pulled its support thanks to the backing of the NCD, although in February Letta was unseated Premier Matteo Renzi, his colleague in the centre-left Democratic Party (PD).

Since splitting up, Alfano and Berlusconi have directed bitter criticism of each other. But Berlusconi said Friday that they should patch things up to form an alliance at future elections. "The centre right, the moderates, form the majority when the support for all the parties is added up," Berlusconi told State broadcaster Rai. "The moderates are debating about some differences but not about values and we'll be forced to come together on some proposals. "I don't think there's any other possibility but to come back together with Alfano". FI has slipped to third in the polls ahead of this month's European elections, with under 20% of voters supporting it, according to many polls, compared to around 33% for the PD and 23% for the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement.

Alfano, whose NCD is polling at around 5%, was receptive to Berlusconi's overture. "A united centre right is the natural landing place for the NCD project," he said. "We'll use our votes to rebuild a united centre right that is capable of challenging the left. "Our collaboration with Renzi is temporary and based on the need for reforms and the need to address the economic crisis and all this country's emergencies".