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Italian crisis talks as PM quits Italian crisis talks as PM quits
(about 2 hours 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 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.
President Napolitano may call new elections if agreement is not reached on forming a new coalition government. President Napolitano may call fresh 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. If so, he could return at the head of a new centre-left coalition, possibly including the opposition Christian Democrats.
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. 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.
Sitting suspendedSitting 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 on Wednesday, during which his prime minister tendered his resignation.
The president will begin consulting party leaders at 1000 (0900 GMT). HAVE YOUR SAY Prodi has become irrelevant as leader of a coalition James Kerns, New York class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5587&edition=1">Send us your comments The president has now begun consulting party leaders on the formation of a new government.
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. If agreement cannot be reached, Mr Napolitano could call early elections, although it would be well ahead of their scheduled date in 2011.
There were dramatic scenes in the upper house, the Senate, as the government lost its motion by just two votes. The coalition's leader in the lower house of parliament, Dario Franceschini, said the main parties in the nine-party governing alliance would continue to back Mr Prodi.
The result was met by cries of "resign! resign!" by right-wing senators, and the sitting was suspended shortly afterwards. It was the decision of several more left-wing coalition senators to abstain on the foreign policy motion that cost Mr Prodi the vote.
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. Street protests
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. There were dramatic scenes in the upper house, the Senate, on Wednesday as the government lost its motion by just two votes.
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. 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.
Some 24 senators abstained 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.
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.
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.