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Italian parties 'reach agreement' Italian coalition 'to back Prodi'
(9 minutes later)
Parties in Italy's centre-left coalition government say they have reached a deal that will allow Romano Prodi to continue as prime minister. Parties in Italy's governing coalition have agreed a deal backing Romano Prodi to continue as prime minister, his spokesman said.
The accord came a day after Mr Prodi resigned after losing a senate vote on his foreign policy. The apparent accord came a day after Mr Prodi resigned after losing a key Senate vote on his foreign policy.
Several of his coalition partners had opposed Italian troop deployments in Afghanistan and plans to expand a US airbase in Italy.Several of his coalition partners had opposed Italian troop deployments in Afghanistan and plans to expand a US airbase in Italy.
A spokesman said the partners had backed Mr Prodi's 12-point plan. His spokesman said partners had backed Mr Prodi's 12-point political plan.
The deal came after late night talks in which Mr Prodi sought support to form a new government. The deal came as Mr Prodi held late-night talks with leaders of his centre-left coalition partners.
"We have all agreed to the programme so that he can continue to govern," Reuters news agency quoted his spokesman, Silvio Sircana, as saying."We have all agreed to the programme so that he can continue to govern," Reuters news agency quoted his spokesman, Silvio Sircana, as saying.
Reports said the 12-point programme included support for Italy's military presence in Afghanistan.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano will decide whether to ask Mr Prodi to form a new government or call fresh elections. He is to hold talks with political leaders on Friday.
Senate vote
Mr Prodi's narrow victory over incumbent Silvio Berlusconi in polls in April 2006 left him with the slimmest of majorities in the Senate.
His government was brought down by two communist senators who rebelled against their own parties for the key vote on Wednesday.
The motion had asked the Senate to approve the government's foreign policy and although it was not a formal confidence vote, Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema had urged the government to resign if it could not win the Senate's backing.
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.