Article updated: 2/3/2013 6:59 AM

Lombardy stars as kingmaker in national elections

Buy this photo Buy this photo
next prev 1 of 3
   
Gallery Image

Gabriele Albertini stands in front of the Milan gothic cathedral in Italy. Lombardy, Italy's most populous and economically productive region, is a key battleground in the upcoming national elections, with the regional race not only likely to determine who can most reliably govern the euro zone's third-largest economy but also testing emerging political alliances.

Associated Press/November 2008

Northern League party leader Roberto Maroni attends a TV show in Rome.

Associated Press/January 2013

Pier Luigi Bersani and Umberto Ambrosoli meet in Milan, Italy.

Associated Press/January 2013

About this Article

One region looms large over Italy's upcoming election: Lombardy. The nation's industrial powerhouse and home to its financial capital Milan, the region generates a fifth of Italy's wealth and boasts one-sixth of its population. The way Lombardy goes will likely determine whether the eurozone's third largest economy gets the stable government it needs to take strong action against its economic crisis.