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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Italian crisis talks as PM quits | Italian crisis talks as PM quits |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Italian President Giorgio Napolitano is to begin crisis talks following the resignation of Prime Minister Romano Prodi after just 10 months in office. | Italian President Giorgio Napolitano is to begin crisis talks following the resignation of Prime Minister Romano Prodi after just 10 months in office. |
| Mr Prodi quit after several of his centre-left coalition partners opposed troop deployments in Afghanistan and plans to expand a US airbase in Italy. | Mr Prodi quit after several of his centre-left coalition partners opposed troop deployments in Afghanistan and plans to expand a US airbase in Italy. |
| President Napolitano may call new elections if agreement is not reached on forming a new coalition government. | President Napolitano may call new elections if agreement is not reached on forming a new coalition government. |
| Mr Prodi will stay on as caretaker prime minister in the meantime. | Mr Prodi will stay on as caretaker prime minister in the meantime. |
| The BBC's Mark Duff in Milan says the smart money is on a much-weakened Mr Prodi being offered a new mandate to govern. | The BBC's Mark Duff in Milan says the smart money is on a much-weakened Mr Prodi being offered a new mandate to govern. |
| Failing that, he says, the president may feel obliged to construct a temporary government of technocrats to hold the fort - and push through urgent measures like pensions reform and the next year's budget. | Failing that, he says, the president may feel obliged to construct a temporary government of technocrats to hold the fort - and push through urgent measures like pensions reform and the next year's budget. |
| In the longer term, some pundits are suggesting that Mr Prodi - himself a committed Catholic - may be tempted to recruit some like-minded Christian Democrat politicians from the opposition, in an attempt to rid himself of the need to rely on the unreformed Communists who have proved so troublesome, our correspondent adds. | |
| Sitting suspended | Sitting suspended |
| Mr Napolitano cut short a trip to Bologna to return to Rome for talks with Mr Prodi. | Mr Napolitano cut short a trip to Bologna to return to Rome for talks with Mr Prodi. |
| The president will begin consulting party leaders at 1000 (0900 GMT). | The president will begin consulting party leaders at 1000 (0900 GMT). |
| The coalition's leader in the lower house of parliament, Dario Franceschini, said the main parties in the governing alliance would continue to back Mr Prodi. | The coalition's leader in the lower house of parliament, Dario Franceschini, said the main parties in the governing alliance would continue to back Mr Prodi. |
| There were dramatic scenes in the upper house, the Senate, as the government lost its motion by just two votes. | There were dramatic scenes in the upper house, the Senate, as the government lost its motion by just two votes. |
| The result was met by cries of "resign! resign!" by right-wing senators, and the sitting was suspended shortly afterwards. | The result was met by cries of "resign! resign!" by right-wing senators, and the sitting was suspended shortly afterwards. |
| Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema had urged senators to approve the non-binding motion, saying unity was crucial for Italy to retain its place on the world stage. | Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema had urged senators to approve the non-binding motion, saying unity was crucial for Italy to retain its place on the world stage. |
| The motion asked the Senate to approve the government's foreign policy, a policy which it said was inspired by a repudiation of war and respect for the role of the EU, UN and international alliances. | The motion asked the Senate to approve the government's foreign policy, a policy which it said was inspired by a repudiation of war and respect for the role of the EU, UN and international alliances. |
| It received 158 votes in favour, just short of the majority of 160 needed for approval, while 136 members of the conservative opposition voted against it. | It received 158 votes in favour, just short of the majority of 160 needed for approval, while 136 members of the conservative opposition voted against it. |
| Some 24 senators abstained | Some 24 senators abstained |