One potential issue _ Iraq _ was largely deflated before the campaign began,
when Berlusconi announced that Italy's troops there would be withdrawn by year's
end.
Berlusconi had strongly supported U.S. President George W. Bush over Iraq
despite fierce opposition among Italians against the war.
Prodi has said he would bring troops home as soon as possible, security
conditions permitting.
While Italians were mainly preoccupied by economic worries, the candidates
seemed to throw more insults at each other than comprehensive plans for turning
around the economy.
Berlusconi promised to abolish a homeowner's property tax. Prodi said he
would revive an inheritance tax abolished by Berlusconi, but only for the
richest. He also promised to cut payroll taxes to try to spur hiring.
Critics contended that instead of helping the economy, Berlusconi used his
comfortable majority in Parliament above all to push through laws to protect his
business interests and help him in his years of judicial woes. Berlusconi
contends the laws benefit all Italians and that he has been the innocent victim
of left-leaning prosecutors.
Berlusconi depicted Prodi as a front-man for Communists in a campaign to
damage Italian democracy.
Italians were voting under a proportional system, thanks to a law pushed
through by Berlusconi's government to increase the chances that his smaller
allies would win seats in Parliament.