PM-aspirer Berlusconi has new diva by his side as Ruby surfaces in Mexico

As he embarks on an audacious campaign to become prime minister of Italy for the fourth time, Silvio Berlusconi has a new woman on his arm — a glamorous member of his party nearly 50 years his junior.

Berlusconi, 76, is in a steady relationship with Francesca Pascale, who at 27 is nearly a third his age, supporters of the former premier said. The couple were photographed together recently while watching Berlusconi's football team, AC Milan. The romance was confirmed by Daniela Santanche, an MP in Berlusconi's People of Freedom party, as well as the Italian press, with one newspaper describing the young woman as Italy's new "first lady".

"Berlusconi introduces her as his girlfriend... I know her as his girlfriend," said Santanche.

Pascale, a former shop assistant from Naples, served as a provincial councillor in Berlusconi's centre-Right party until she stepped down in July. She has said that her life revolves around three things — her family, politics and Berlusconi.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the former nightclub dancer at the centre of Berlusconi's sex trial is in Mexico. Karima El Mahroug, known by her stage name Ruby the Heart Stealer, failed to appear to give evidence at the Milan court on Monday.

She told her lawyer she would return to Italy in January. Prosecutors allege that she was working as an under-age prostitute and that in 2010, at the age of 17, Berlusconi paid her for intercourse during his notorious bunga bunga parties. He denies all charges.

Berlusconi's prospects of returning to power at elections expected in February suffered a blow on Wednesday when his former allies in the Northern League said they would not enter into a fresh coalition if he led his party into the campaign. "I'll try to convince him to take a step back [and not run)," Roberto Maroni, the leader of the Northern League, was quoted as saying. "If I lose with him, we're finished." There are growing calls for Mario Monti, the prime minister who said at the weekend that he would resign before Christmas, to run against Berlusconi.