by Eric J Lyman for ISN Security Watch

In the days after Italy's right-of-center voters emerged victorious from the latest round of national voting it became clear that the next battle for control of Italy will not be between the country's left and right, but rather its north and south.

After a solid victory in Italy's 13-14 April elections, billionaire media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi is set to become Italy's prime minister for the fourth time. But Umberto Bossi, the controversial and iconoclastic founder of the Northern League, was the real electoral surprise.

Bossi founded the Northern League more than two decades ago, when it appeared that Italy might not qualify for the single European currency, a possibility he said was only due to the economic drag from Italy's poorer southern regions.

His solution? Split the country in two: The southern part would keep the name Italy, with the northern part becoming Padania. Padania would then re-apply to adopt the euro on its own.

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