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| Italian PM survives Senate vote | Italian PM survives Senate vote |
| (20 minutes 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 Mr Prodi lost a Senate vote 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 PM will face another vote in lower house, where he has large majority and is expected to win. | 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. | |
| Click here to see a breakdown of seats in the Senate | Click here to see a breakdown of seats in the Senate |
| 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. | 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. |
| They objected to 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 ahead | Challenges ahead |
| Mr Prodi's supporters, ranging from Communists to former Christian Democrats, later closed ranks. | Mr Prodi's supporters, ranging from Communists to former Christian Democrats, later closed ranks. |
| Fragile bloc struggles on | |
| Mr Prodi won the subsequent ballot by a margin on only five votes - including four from unelected life-time senators. | Mr Prodi won the subsequent ballot by a margin on only five votes - including four from unelected life-time senators. |
| Without them the prime minister lives on a knife edge, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Rome. | Without them the prime minister lives on a knife edge, says the BBC's Christian Fraser in Rome. |
| 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. | 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. |
| Contentious issues include the Italian mission in Afghanistan and pension reform, which some left-wing senators 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. | The government also plans to give legal rights to unmarried and gay couples. |
| 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. | 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. | 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 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 |
| Click here to return | Click here to return |