Berlusconi takes lead as Italy calls April poll

Silvio Berlusconi promised a new era of more sophisticated politics today as polls indicated he would return to power in Italy's snap elections in April.

The billionaire Mr Berlusconi will face a new leader of the Italian left, Walter Veltroni, currently the mayor of Rome, in the general election set today for April 13.

	Italy's President Napolitano signed the decree dissolving parliament in Rome

Romano Prodi, 68, whose coalition government collapsed last month, today announced he was withdrawing to allow a new generation of politicians to emerge.

In the run-up to the last general election two years ago, which Mr Berlusconi narrowly lost, the media tycoon accused his opponents of being influenced by Chinese "baby-eating communists" and said that "only a d**khead" would vote for Mr Prodi.

He also made a desperate last-ditch bid for votes on national television when he promised to dramatically slash taxes and issued a video presenting himself as a cunning, ferocious alligator shortly before voting day.

Today the 71 year-old centre-right leader said he would "no longer be an alligator".

"In this campaign, we need to abandon the sort of tone that was used before," he said.

"Instead, we can just emphasise the failures of Prodi. We cannot have a war against Veltroni."

Giorgio Napolitano, the president, has appealed to both sides "not to destroy the chance for dialogue" with a bitter campaign.

"I am very upset at having to dissolve parliament," he said.

"These elections are far too early and are an anomaly. This is an opportunity for all political parties to show their sense of responsibility."

Mr Napolitano was forced to call early elections after talks failed to form an interim government and reform the electoral law which many blame for Italy's political instability.

Mr Prodi's government was the 61st since the end of World War II.

The centre-left is still reeling from Mr Prodi's fall after only 20 months in power and analysts say Mr Veltroni has not had the time to promote and organise his new Democratic Party, which was launched only months ago.

Analysts say, however, that the Democratic Party, which brought together the two largest centre-left formations, represents a novelty that Italian citizens might feel drawn to.