Rome, Jun 28 (IANS/AKI): Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has said he would like to be economy minister if his conservative party wins the elections in 2013.

Speaking to members of his People of Freedom Party, the 75-year-old billionaire politician said he would take the economy portfolio under a government led by party secretary Angelino Alfano, who Berlusconi anointed as his successor last year.

Berlusconi in November last year resigned as prime minister after a debt crisis spiralled out of control, raising the real possibility that Italy could miss payments on its 1.9 trillion euros of debt.

In what appeared to be a preview of his election campaign themes, Berlusconi has recently repackaged himself as a euro-sceptic, saying that it would not be bad to leave the 17-member single currency alliance.

Berlusconi also told party leaders that it would be "catastrophic" if the unelected government led by prime minister Mario Monti were to collapse.

"I have spoken with Brussels, they say Monti's fall would be 'catastrophic'," Berlusconi said.

Support for Monti has plummeted amid spending cuts and a protracted recession, sparking speculation of early elections in October.