Italian leader to go

Sergio D'Antoni, general secretary of Italy's second largest trade union confederation, CSIL, leaves office this month after a surprise decision to set up a new political foundation. His successor will be the man who was previously his deputy, Savino Pezzotta. His departure comes in the run-up to parliamentary elections in Italy next year, with the current centre-left government forecast to do badly. Sergio Coferrati, the general secretary of Italy's biggest trade union confederation, CGIL, has accused the centre-left of not having a programme and being too close to the employers.