Key ally breaks with Berlusconi ahead of elections; says he's running, too

A key ally broke with conservative leader Silvio Berlusconi Saturday, saying he will run separately in the April elections.

Berlusconi, who is eager to gain back the premiership he lost in 2006 to the center-left bloc, had tried in vain to persuade pro-Vatican Pier Ferdinando Casini to join his center-right election alliance.

Casini, who heads the UDC party of former Christian Democrats, said in a speech that his party would run a campaign "with our own symbol and our own banner" and that he was running for the premiership.

In breaking with Berlusconi, after 14 years of political alliance, Casini said he was giving the message that …