Could Italy's election be postponed?

Many Italians thought it was a pesce d'aprile (an April Fool's stunt). On April 1st one of Italy's highest courts gave a ruling that could have meant putting off the election due on April 13th and 14th, at least for some weeks. The court decided that a tiny party, Christian Democracy (DC), had a right to stand. DC, led by one Giuseppe Pizza, claims to be the true successor of the Christian Democrats who dominated Italian politics until the 1990s.

Mr Pizza's group was excluded by a lower tribunal because its symbol is almost indistinguishable from that of another, bigger party, Pier Ferdinando Casini's Union of Christian and Centre Democrats (UDC). As the implications of the appeal-court ruling sank in, the interior minister in the outgoing government, Giuliano Amato, confirmed that he could not rule out a delay.

Mr Pizza insisted that his party had a right to campaign for the 30 days allowed by law. He announced that he would take further legal action to stop the UDC from using the old Christian Democratic symbol of a red cross on a white shield. Most other politicians argued vigorously that the election must go ahead. Among them was Silvio Berlusconi. But several of his opponents accused him of secretly egging on Mr Pizza so as to steal votes from the UDC, which was an ally but has now deserted his coalition. So it wasn't a pesce. But it might become one. On April 3rd, Mr Pizza said the poll should go ahead - but that he must be allowed to run.