Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy says he will not run again when his term expires in 2013.
In an interview with La Repubblica newspaper published on Friday, the premier repeated his intention to stand aside from official duties.
''Absolutely not,'' said Mr Berlusconi, 74, when asked whether he would stand again.
The ABC reports that Mr Berlusconi, who is fighting accusations of corruption and of paying for sex with an underaged prostitute, has made similar remarks on a number of occasions recently.
He has already named justice minister Angelino Alfano, 40, as his successor.
He also ruled out any bid to become president of Italy.
Mr Berlusconi first became prime minister in 1994. His government has been struggling in recent months, slipping in the opinion polls and suffering sharp losses in local elections and referendums.
