While characterising his announcement as a bold new initiative, Berlusconi's critics said it was really an admission that the media tycoon had failed to exploit Prodi's feeble Senate majority and bring down the government in parliament.
"Berlusconi's move is the recognition of defeat, he didn't manage to fell the government," said Walter Veltroni, the head of the PD and Prodi's annointed successor as centre-left leader.
Gianfranco Fini, the head of the second biggest centre-right party, National Alliance (AN), who is the most popular figure on the centre right, scorned Berlusconi's move which marginalises his post-fascists.
"I don't understand if this is a new party or a rebranding of Forza Italia," Fini told Canale 5 TV, vowing his party would not join Berlusconi's new movement. "AN will never dissolve, never merge, we're not even thinking about it."
