Italy's industrial leaders want early elections

Italian industrial leaders demanded an early general election in an attempt to end political uncertainty and restore control over the country's inflation-prone economy.

As President Sandro Pertini ended the first phase of his talks with politicians after the government resignation last Saturday, political sources said the main issue was whether the election would be held in the fall or next spring. The Christian Democrats, Italy's biggest party, said they would back Republican Prime Minister Giovanni Spadolini if he tried to put together the five-party center-left coalition that broke apart last week.