Italy close to ending political deadlock In a sign that Italy is close to finally forming a government, Prime Minister-designate Enrico Letta has been updating the country's president on progress. That comes after Letta met with centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi, whose party would be the main coalition partner in government. Berlusconi told reporters he could not say anything, but imagined there would be a government today. He added that he would not be a minister in the cabinet. The hard work will start once a government is formed, it needs to make the major economic reforms demanded by the European Union and so that Rome can keep borrowing to avoid bankruptcy. Political analyst Massimo Franco with the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera said: "I think that this agreement between the centre-right and the centre-left which would appear paradoxical and impossible, on the contrary is very necessary and will be possible because the Italian economic agenda actually is not dictated by Italy but by the European Union." More about: Enrico Letta, Italian politics, Italy, Political crisis