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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Embattled Italy PM backed by MPs | Embattled Italy PM backed by MPs |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has won a first vote of confidence in the lower chamber of parliament. | Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has won a first vote of confidence in the lower chamber of parliament. |
| The government won the Chamber of Deputies by 326 votes against 275. | The government won the Chamber of Deputies by 326 votes against 275. |
| But all eyes are on the Senate, where the loss of a small allied party has cost Mr Prodi his majority. A vote there has been set for Thursday. | But all eyes are on the Senate, where the loss of a small allied party has cost Mr Prodi his majority. A vote there has been set for Thursday. |
| Mr Prodi has been urged to resign before then, correspondents say. Earlier, the president advised him not to submit himself to a Senate vote. | Mr Prodi has been urged to resign before then, correspondents say. Earlier, the president advised him not to submit himself to a Senate vote. |
| The crisis was sparked by the withdrawal on Monday of the centrist Udeur party from Mr Prodi's ruling coalition, costing the prime minister his Senate majority of one. | The crisis was sparked by the withdrawal on Monday of the centrist Udeur party from Mr Prodi's ruling coalition, costing the prime minister his Senate majority of one. |
| 'Reprieve' | |
| Udeur party leader and former justice minister, Clemente Mastella, pulled out after being forced to quit last week following his implication in a corruption inquiry. | Udeur party leader and former justice minister, Clemente Mastella, pulled out after being forced to quit last week following his implication in a corruption inquiry. |
| Three other senators, including the former Prime Minister, Lamberto Dini, urged Mr Prodi to quit on Wednesday to avoid holding the Senate vote. | Three other senators, including the former Prime Minister, Lamberto Dini, urged Mr Prodi to quit on Wednesday to avoid holding the Senate vote. |
| The BBC's Christian Fraser in Rome says the lower house vote was a reprieve for Mr Prodi. | |
| Our correspondent says there are always shifting loyalties in Italian politics and plenty of phone calls are no doubt being made to try to muster support - but it looks increasingly unlikely the prime minister can win in the Senate. | |
| Silvio Berlusconi, the Conservative former prime minister who was beaten by Mr Prodi in 2006 elections, wants to see the premier defeated in the Senate. | |
| This would trigger calls for snap elections, which polls suggest Mr Berlusconi's centre-right could win comfortably, our correspondent says. | |
| He says the other more likely option, favoured by President Giorgio Napolitano, is a caretaker government capable of bringing all these different sides together to force through much needed electoral reforms, before a future election is held. |