The Vatican may fear that Mr Berlusconi could retaliate by dropping legislation to restrict living wills or blocking a hostile parliamentary inquiry into the use of mifepristone, an abortion pill.

• 梵蒂冈可能担心贝氏将会通过立法限制生前遗嘱或阻止敌对议会调查酶菲普利斯顿，一种堕胎药的使用来进行报复。