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Italians are increasingly critical of the government's handling of the country's economic problems but the ruling coalition retains its poll lead before this month's regional elections. ROME, March 2 (Reuters) - Italians are increasingly critical of the government's handling of the country's economic problems but the ruling coalition retains its poll lead before this month's regional elections, according to a survey on Mar. 2.

The Ipsos poll published in Il Sole 24 Ore newspaper showed the percentage of Italians who approved of the government's handling of the crisis fell to 49 percent from 53 percent the previous month.

The number of Italians who believe the economic situation is likely to get worse rose sharply to 48 percent from 39 percent, according to the poll conducted in late February.

Data on Monday showed Italy's 1.5 trillion euro economy contracted by 5.0 percent last year, the largest drop in its post-war history, while the budget deficit doubled to 5.3 percent of gross domestic product.

But voting intentions ahead of the March 28-29 elections in 13 of Italy's 20 regions showed no real drain on support for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right coalition, as disapproval of the opposition's performance remained far higher.

Just over 70 percent of the 1,000 people polled gave a negative evaluation of the centre-left opposition, which has struggled to capitalise on the economic downturn and a string of scandals affecting Berlusconi and his coalition.

Asked about voting intentions ahead of the regional polls, 37.2 percent of respondents said they would vote for Berlusconi's People of Freedom (PDL) party, only slightly down from 38.1 percent the previous month.

The main opposition Democratic Party (PD) rose only slightly to 29.8 percent from 29.5 percent the previous month.

The Northern League, which forms part of Berlusconi's ruling coalition, inched up to 10.8 percent from 10.5 percent.

The Feb. 25 poll was conducted before a political fiasco engulfed the PDL in the Lazio region, of which Rome is the capital, after the party missed the deadline for registering its candidates there.

It was the latest in a series of embarrassments for Berlusconi, who faces two pending trials for corruption and tax fraud and whose government is struggling to quash a scandal over contracts awarded by the civil protection agency.

The opposition currently controls 11 of the 13 regions up for grabs in this month's polls and polls have suggested it could lose five or six of these, including the Lazio region where the former centre-left governor recently resigned amid a sex and drug scandal.