Allies of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have suffered setbacks in local elections seen by analysts as a test of his government’s popularity, according to the BBC. His centre-right PDL bloc came second in his stronghold Milan, forcing it into a run-off vote for the first time in nearly 20 years. The bloc and its Northern League partner also did poorly elsewhere – though the PDL led in Naples. The second round of voting is due to be held in two weeks. The prime minister was said by aides to be “surprised and saddened” by the result in Milan, one of Italy’s wealthiest cities.
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