Italy's centre-right alliance has released its general election manifesto just six days before the ballot on Sunday 13 May. The "House of Freedom" alliance, lead by media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, has promised to create at least 1.5 million jobs, speed up privatisation and introduce over $32 billion in tax cuts in a five year period. The 85-page document, released over the Internet, reads, "Our recipe is lower taxes on business and work, less rigidity in the workplace,…quicker economic growth and more jobs".
The manifesto did not address the subject of conflict of interest law, a subject which has dogged Berlusconi's campaign. He holds broad business interests, including television stations, a publishing house and financial services group. Mr Berlusconi has pledged to introduce a conflict of interest law within his first 100 days of office, if his election campaign is successful. However, conflict of interest was not referred to in the section dealing with the first 100 days.
Centre-left rivals, led by Francesco Rutelli, a former mayor of Rome, published their election promises in April, in which they put forward similar goals. The Berlusconi alliance had a four point advantage over the centre-left in the last allowable opinion poll which was published two weeks before the ballot.
