ROME (AP) — Italy's ruling center-left Democratic Party is picking up the pieces after a weekend drubbing in local elections while former Premier Silvio Berlusconi is basking in his latest political rebound and alliance with the anti-immigrant right.

Democratic leader Matteo Renzi acknowledged internal divisions that have torn the Democratic Party apart, saying in a Facebook post Wednesday that he wanted to move beyond them to confront issues that Italians care about.

But his culture minister, Dario Franceschini, said the party had to do some soul-searching after it lost its longtime stronghold of Genoa and other cities to a center-right alliance headed by Berlusconi's Forza Italia and the anti-immigrant Northern League.

Berlusconi said he was particularly pleased with the win in L'Aquila, which suffered a devastating 2009 earthquake when he was premier.