Prodi resigns after losing vote

[Nutmegger]

Source: BBC News

The Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, has resigned after being defeated in a vote of confidence in the upper house of parliament, the Senate.

Mr Prodi, who had led his centre-left coalition for 20 months, was defeated by five votes, despite the support of several unelected lifetime senators.

President Giorgio Napolitano must now choose whether to call a snap election or appoint an interim government.

Mr Prodi has been asked to continue in a caretaker capacity until then.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7208000.stm

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That bastard Berlusconi might slip back in. :puke:

[Zynx]

1. Italy always has such stable politics....

[rumpel]

2. Berlusconi....

...here is widespread agreement among several senior senators - even among the prime minister's opponents - that the country needs new electoral laws, our correspondent says.

Under the current system rushed in by Mr Berlusconi, smaller parties with only a handful of seats hold the balance of power in parliament.

Mr Napolitano is thought to favour appointing an interim government of technocrats to force through such reforms.

But other politicians, particularly those belonging to Mr Berlusconi's Forza Italia party, which is leading the polls, insist an election is the only way forward, he adds.

ugh

[xchrom]

3. damn it! -- here comes berlusconi.