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| Italian crisis talks as PM quits | Italian crisis talks as PM quits |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has begun crisis talks following the resignation of Prime Minister Romano Prodi after just 10 months in office. | Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has begun 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. |
| Mr Napolitano may call new elections if agreement is not reached on forming a new coalition government. | Mr 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 talks are expected to last well into Friday, the president's office has said. | The talks are expected to last well into Friday, the president's office has said. |
| The government was brought down by two communist senators who rebelled against their own parties. | |
| One of them, Franco Turigliatto, a Trotskyite, is facing expulsion procedures from the Communist Refoundation Party for not being "in line with the [party's] democratic will". The other rebel, Fernando Rossi, has already announced he will resign. | |
| 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. |
| If so, he could return at the head of a new centre-left coalition, possibly including the opposition Christian Democrats. | If so, he could return at the head of a new centre-left coalition, possibly including the opposition Christian Democrats. |
| Failing that, our correspondent 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, our correspondent 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. |
| Balance of power in Italian Senate after 2006 elections | Balance of power in Italian Senate after 2006 elections |
| Mr Napolitano cut short a trip to Bologna to return to Rome for talks with Mr Prodi on Wednesday, during which his prime minister tendered his resignation. | Mr Napolitano cut short a trip to Bologna to return to Rome for talks with Mr Prodi on Wednesday, during which his prime minister tendered his resignation. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Prodi has become irrelevant as leader of a coalition James Kerns, New York Send us your comments The president has now begun consulting party leaders on the formation of a new government. | HAVE YOUR SAY Prodi has become irrelevant as leader of a coalition James Kerns, New York Send us your comments The president has now begun consulting party leaders on the formation of a new government. |
| He was expected first to meet Senate Speaker Franco Marini, before holding talks with his counterpart in the lower house, Fausto Bertinotti, and the heads of parliamentary groups. | He was expected first to meet Senate Speaker Franco Marini, before holding talks with his counterpart in the lower house, Fausto Bertinotti, and the heads of parliamentary groups. |
| If agreement cannot be reached, Mr Napolitano could call early elections, although it would be well ahead of their scheduled date in 2011. | If agreement cannot be reached, Mr Napolitano could call early elections, although it would be well ahead of their scheduled date in 2011. |
| The coalition's leader in the lower house of parliament, Dario Franceschini, said the main groups in the nine-party governing alliance would continue to back Mr Prodi. | The coalition's leader in the lower house of parliament, Dario Franceschini, said the main groups in the nine-party governing alliance would continue to back Mr Prodi. |
| Street protests | Street protests |
| There were dramatic scenes in the upper house, the Senate, on Wednesday as the government lost its motion by just two votes. | There were dramatic scenes in the upper house, the Senate, on Wednesday as the government lost its motion by just two votes. |
| Opposition senators celebrated as the ruling coalition lost the motionThe result was met by cries of "resign! resign!" by right-wing senators, and the sitting was suspended shortly afterwards. | Opposition senators celebrated as the ruling coalition lost the motionThe result was met by cries of "resign! resign!" by right-wing senators, and the sitting was suspended shortly afterwards. |
| The motion had 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 had 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. |
| Although it was not a formal confidence vote, Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema had urged the government to resign if it could not win backing for its foreign policy. | Although it was not a formal confidence vote, Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema had urged the government to resign if it could not win backing for its foreign policy. |
| Mr Prodi's government had been forced on the defensive over the continued deployment of 2,000 Italian troops in Afghanistan, with strong opposition from some of his more left-wing coalition partners. | Mr Prodi's government had been forced on the defensive over the continued deployment of 2,000 Italian troops in Afghanistan, with strong opposition from some of his more left-wing coalition partners. |
| Plans for the expansion of a big US military base in Vicenza, northern Italy, had also sparked protests both within his government and on the street, with large demonstrations in Vicenza at the weekend. | Plans for the expansion of a big US military base in Vicenza, northern Italy, had also sparked protests both within his government and on the street, with large demonstrations in Vicenza at the weekend. |
| US President George W Bush wants to strengthen the base by transferring from Germany to Italy another 2,000 US soldiers, taking the total number stationed in Vicenza to nearly 5,000. | US President George W Bush wants to strengthen the base by transferring from Germany to Italy another 2,000 US soldiers, taking the total number stationed in Vicenza to nearly 5,000. |
| Mr D'Alema told the senate that to renege on the approval given by Mr Prodi last month for the base's expansion would be a "hostile act" towards the US. | Mr D'Alema told the senate that to renege on the approval given by Mr Prodi last month for the base's expansion would be a "hostile act" towards the US. |
| BALANCE OF POWER IN ITALIAN SENATE AFTER 2006 ELECTIONS Further detail of Centre-left seats (others) Italy of Values - 4 seatsPopular-UDEUR - 3 seatsThe Union - South Tyrolean People's Party - 3 seatsSouth Tyrolean People's Party - 2 seatsConsumers' List - 1 seatOlive Tree - 1 seatAutonomy Liberty Democracy - 1 seatThe Union (abroad) - 4 seats | BALANCE OF POWER IN ITALIAN SENATE AFTER 2006 ELECTIONS Further detail of Centre-left seats (others) Italy of Values - 4 seatsPopular-UDEUR - 3 seatsThe Union - South Tyrolean People's Party - 3 seatsSouth Tyrolean People's Party - 2 seatsConsumers' List - 1 seatOlive Tree - 1 seatAutonomy Liberty Democracy - 1 seatThe Union (abroad) - 4 seats |
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