Italy's Berlusconi won't return to power-French finmin

PARIS Dec 10 (Reuters) - French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici voiced confidence in Italy's future reform path despite a new political crisis on Monday, forecasting that ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi would not return to power.

"The direction that Italy has been going in for the last year and a half is a solid direction, there is no reason to worry," Moscovici told Reuters in an interview.

"Berlusconi is returning to politics but I'm convinced that he will not return to power," he added.

Current Prime Minister Mario Monti said on Saturday that he would stand down once the 2013 budget is approved, after losing the support of Berlusconi's centre-right PDL, the largest party in parliament. Berlusconi said he would run for office again. (Reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey; Writing by Leigh Thomas; editing by Mark John)