ROME, Jan 21 (AFP) - Efforts to form a new government in Italy ran into trouble at the weekend after neo-fascist leader Gianfranco Fini, who wants early elections, refused to accept Lamberto Dini as the next prime minister. The unexpected rejection came Saturday during a meeting with President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro at the end of a week of consultations with 26 political parties to secure wider backing for the outgoing prime minister. Scalfaro, declaring "Italian politics is sick", announced a "pause for reflection" of several days before consultations resume in earnest. The president accepted Dini's resignation 10 days ago, but is keen to avoid parliamentary elections during Italy's six-month European Union presidency which is due to end in July. "Our political situation is in a pathological state because splintering is a sign of a serious pathology," Scalfaro said on Saturday. A fresh round of political consultations is expected to take place mid-week, after Scalfaro fulfills a series of scheduled provincial visits between Monday and Wednesday. "The choice will be between reforms and elections," Scalfaro said Saturday night, at the close of the consultations. AFP /AA1234/211246 GMT JAN 96

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