Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has said he may not stand for re-election in 2013 but could play a behind-the-scenes role as a kind of father figure to the centre right.
In remarks to a group of foreign journalists at a dinner in Rome, the 74-year-old premier said he would see out his current term but might not run again when it expires. He also said he would not seek to stand as president of the republic.
Mr Berlusconi, one of Italy's richest media entrepreneurs as well as its dominant political leader, said he could imagine acting as a patron or father figure for the ruling PDL party without a direct executive role.
A final decision would depend on opinion polls, he said.
He indicated justice minister Angelino Alfano was a potential successor and put forward the name of his trusted chief of staff, Gianni Letta, as a possible future head of state to succeed Giorgio Napolitano.
Mr Berlusconi said he had considered resigning when the United Nations Security Council opened the way for a western-led coalition to begin military operations against Libyan leader Muammar Gadafy, with whom he was previously close.
The dinner with Mr Berlusconi on Tuesday was originally organised as an off-the-record event but his remarks were leaked to Italian news agencies and the story made the front pages of the main newspapers.
His spokesman, Paulo Bonaiuti, was quoted by Italian news agency ANSA as saying the remarks were hypothetical and did not reflect any concrete plan.
The prime minister has been fighting a series of trials over tax fraud, bribery and sex allegations and has stepped up an increasingly bitter war of words with Italian magistrates, whom he accuses of trying to subvert democracy.