The 69-year-old economist, who took the helm of the emergency unelected cabinet 13 months ago to save Italy from deepening crisis, has kept his intention a secret and is expected to speak about his future during a press conference scheduled for Sunday.

He could present an "agenda" that the next government should pursue to follow up with his austerity policy, or endorse a group of moderate figures belonging to centrist parties, said sources quoted by local media.

The resigned premier's approval rating has risen from 33 percent to 38 percent over the last week but 60 percent of Italians do not want him to run in the upcoming general election, according to the SWG polling agency.

The PD and the PdL, the two biggest parties which have backed the Monti reforms in the past year, rejected the technocrat taking the political field saying that he would make a mistake by standing for top office again.

Monti needs to "maintain his technical profile of neutrality and impartiality" during the electoral campaign, said the PdL leader in the parliament upper chamber, Maurizio Gasparri, adding that a "difficult" phase has opened for the recession-hit country.

Gian Luca Galletti, the leader in the parliament lower chamber of the third biggest party backing the government in the past year, the centrist Union of the Center (UDC), whished Saturday that Italy firmly continues with the work carried by Monti "in order not to frustrate the efforts of citizens."

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