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Italian PM wins key Senate vote Italian PM survives Senate vote
(about 1 hour later)
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has won a confidence vote in the Senate, allowing him to continue in office.Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has won a confidence vote in the Senate, allowing him to continue in office.
The narrow victory - by 162-157 - came a week after senators defeated Mr Prodi on his foreign policy, prompting the centre-left government to stand down. The narrow victory, by 162-157, came a week after Mr Prodi lost a Senate vote on his foreign policy, prompting the centre-left government to stand down.
President Giorgio Napolitano had asked him to stay on and put his cabinet to a confidence vote in parliament.President Giorgio Napolitano had asked him to stay on and put his cabinet to a confidence vote in parliament.
On Friday, the prime minister will face another confidence vote in lower house where he has comfortable majority. On Friday the PM will face another vote in lower house, where he has large majority and is expected to win.
"I am very satisfied, now we'll go to the lower house," Mr Prodi told reporters after Wednesday's vote."I am very satisfied, now we'll go to the lower house," Mr Prodi told reporters after Wednesday's vote.
Click here to see a breakdown of seats in the SenateClick here to see a breakdown of seats in the Senate
Mr Prodi resigned last week after nine months in office, when some members in his nine-party coalition voted against him. He resigned last week after nine months in office, when two Communist members of his coalition voted against him in the Senate, tipping the vote against him.
Some partners in his coalition opposed troop deployments in Afghanistan and plans to expand the Vicenza US airbase in northern Italy. They objected to troop deployments in Afghanistan and plans to expand the Vicenza US airbase in northern Italy.
Challenges aheadChallenges ahead
Mr Prodi's supporters, ranging from ex-Communists to former Christian Democrats, later closed ranks. Mr Prodi's supporters, ranging from Communists to former Christian Democrats, later closed ranks.
The BBC's Christian Fraser in Rome says the vote was a predictable result. Mr Prodi won the subsequent ballot by a margin on only five votes - including four from unelected life-time senators.
All nine parties in the coalition had signed up to a binding agreement on the government's policies a week ago and they were unlikely to go back on that agreement with opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi, waiting in the wings. Without them the prime minister lives on a knife edge, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Rome.
Now the parties must abide by their commitments and that is where the difficulties begin, our correspondent adds. All nine parties in the coalition have signed up to a binding agreement on the government's policies but there are still disagreements on several key policies, our correspondent adds.
Within the coalition there are still big disagreements on several key policies - such as the mission in Afghanistan and pension reform which some left-wing members oppose. Contentious issues include the Italian mission in Afghanistan and pension reform, which some left-wing senators oppose.
The government also plans to give legal rights to unmarried and gay couples - a bill Catholics in the centre of his group have said they will never accept. The government also plans to give legal rights to unmarried and gay couples.
Analysts say Mr Prodi still faces a big challenge, and with only a one seat majority in the Senate remains as vulnerable as ever. The bill is still to come before the Senate and the Catholics in the centre of the ruling coalition have said they will never accept it.
Analysts say Mr Prodi still faces a big challenge, and with only a one seat majority in the Senate his disparate coalition remains as vulnerable as ever.
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 seatsBALANCE 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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