Berlusconi teams up with Northern League Associated Press Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 10:03 am, Monday, January 7, 2013 MILAN (AP) — Former Premier Silvio Berlusconi announced a deal Monday with the Northern League — his fractious coalition partner in three governments — to jointly run in Italy's election next month, a move that could give fresh impetus to the center-right and extend the Berlusconi era. Berlusconi's last government ended in November 2011 under pressure from financial markets, which expressed a lack of confidence in his ability to reform Italy's economy. Berlusconi said it was still not clear whom the center-right coalition would back to run as premier, saying one possible candidate was Angelino Alfano, the leader of Berlusconi's People of Freedom party. Gay rights groups expressed skepticism, noting Berlusconi's "years of doubtful jokes about homosexuals, including explicit homophobia" and his clear opposition to civil unions before a gathering of Christian reformers. Berlusconi also could see verdicts in two criminal cases before the election, including the sensational sex scandal in which he is accused of paying an underage Moroccan teen for sex and then trying to cover it up.