Brussels, 18/02/2004 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday Silvio Berlusconi lifted any uncertainty there was regarding his candidacy for the European elections next June. "I will be a candidate", he told the press, adding that he would be the flag bearer for his party because he would continue to be the president of the Council. He announced that there would not be a single list from the majority and that they would be going to the ballot box "united" but "free" with "each for his own". The Italian prime minister insisted that he was absolutely certain that the result would be very positive and that he was now the most optimistic he had ever been in the last two and a half years.
Berlusconi indicated that the local elections would be taking place at the same time as the European elections (Saturday 12 June and Sunday 13 June). Another decision: the government will be proposing a law stipulating incompatibility between the post of an MEP and national MP, as well as that between the president of a local council or a local councillor, president of a district or town mayor of more than 15,000 in habitants; in the next European elections electors will be able to vote for three candidates from the list.