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The stage is being set for the battle for the heart of Italy, as warning signs about the state of the country's economy become more difficult to ignore.

Mario Monti, the country's current prime minister, and his predecessor Silvio Berlusconi featured heavily in the weekend's press, even though neither is the current favorite to win power in February's election.The redoubtable Berlusconi announced a new coalition which would make his PdLparty more likely to get into government, and claimed that he would rather serve in the less glamorous role of economy minister than the top job.

Monti poured cold water on the notion that he might serve as finance minister in a different coalition than his current centrist alliance. He also held the door...