One of Italy's top businessmen has quit his position on the board of the industrialists' association after a public row with Premier Silvio Berlusconi. Diego Della Valle, chief executive of Tod's, the luxury footwear maker, said he left the Confindustria board to show that the negative views he has expressed about the premier were not necessarily those of the association.
Some analysts in the Italian press have speculated that the move by Della Valle, a known supporter of Italy's centre left, could be a prelude to legal action against Berlusconi. The premier singled him out for criticism at the weekend as he gave a fiery speech to a Confindustria conference, telling business leaders that supporting the opposition in April 9 elections would be a mistake.
Della Valle was sitting in the audience,as Berlusconi said: "I see that Mr Della Valle is shaking his head. If a businessman has lost his head and supports the Left it means he has a lot of skeletons in the cupboard and has plenty of things to ask forgiveness for".
Della Valle later told reporters that Berlusconi was "on the verge of a nervous breakdown."
Confindustria blasted Berlusconi again on Monday, urging him to take lessons on the economy after his outburst at their meeting.
But the premier, Italy's richest man thanks to a highly successful business career, highlighted divisions within Confindustria over where the business community should place its allegiances. As Berlusconi gave his speech at the conference on
Saturday, some of the audience was booing but some were also cheering.
Berlusconi has dismissed criticism from the board of Confindustria, arguing that chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo is "isolated" and that most Confindustria members are on his side. Where the influential lobby stands politically is likely to be discussed by Confindustria bigwigs during meetings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday this week.
Montezemolo, who also heads Ferrari and Fiat, has often criticised the government's economic policies. But he has also repeatedly stressed that Confindustria should not take sides in the campaign for the April 9-10 election.
Last Friday, Romano Prodi, whose centre-left coalition is leading Berlusconi's in the polls, got a polite but lukewarm reception when he addressed Confindustria.
