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| Italy crisis: PM Enrico Letta faces confidence vote | Italy crisis: PM Enrico Letta faces confidence vote |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Italy's Prime Minister Enrico Letta has been addressing parliament ahead of a crucial vote of confidence in his governing coalition. | Italy's Prime Minister Enrico Letta has been addressing parliament ahead of a crucial vote of confidence in his governing coalition. |
| Mr Letta told the Senate the collapse of his government could be fatal for the country. | Mr Letta told the Senate the collapse of his government could be fatal for the country. |
| The vote was called after Silvio Berlusconi ordered ministers in his centre-right People of Freedom party (PDL) to leave the government. | The vote was called after Silvio Berlusconi ordered ministers in his centre-right People of Freedom party (PDL) to leave the government. |
| But some key PDL figures have defied him, saying they will back Mr Letta. | But some key PDL figures have defied him, saying they will back Mr Letta. |
| Mr Letta earlier rejected the resignations of the five PDL ministers. | Mr Letta earlier rejected the resignations of the five PDL ministers. |
| 'Moderate force' | 'Moderate force' |
| Berlusconi, a former prime minister, has accused Mr Letta of allowing his "political assassination through judicial means" - a reference to Berlusconi's criminal conviction for tax fraud in August. | Berlusconi, a former prime minister, has accused Mr Letta of allowing his "political assassination through judicial means" - a reference to Berlusconi's criminal conviction for tax fraud in August. |
| "Even though I understand the risks that I am taking on, I have decided to put an end to the Letta government," Berlusconi said in a letter to the weekly magazine Tempi. | "Even though I understand the risks that I am taking on, I have decided to put an end to the Letta government," Berlusconi said in a letter to the weekly magazine Tempi. |
| However, he appeared more circumspect on arrival at the Senate on Wednesday, saying: "We'll see what happens. We'll listen to Letta's speech and then we'll decide." | However, he appeared more circumspect on arrival at the Senate on Wednesday, saying: "We'll see what happens. We'll listen to Letta's speech and then we'll decide." |
| Addressing the Senate, Mr Letta defended his government's performance and said Italy "runs a risk, a fatal risk" if it were to fall. | Addressing the Senate, Mr Letta defended his government's performance and said Italy "runs a risk, a fatal risk" if it were to fall. |
| He said: "Give us your confidence to realise [our] objectives. Give us your confidence for all that has been accomplished... a confidence vote for Italy and Italians.'' | He said: "Give us your confidence to realise [our] objectives. Give us your confidence for all that has been accomplished... a confidence vote for Italy and Italians.'' |
| In an apparent break with Berlusconi, his deputy and party secretary Angelino Alfano said PDL MPs should back Mr Letta in the confidence vote. | In an apparent break with Berlusconi, his deputy and party secretary Angelino Alfano said PDL MPs should back Mr Letta in the confidence vote. |
| "I am firmly convinced that our party as a whole should vote confidence in Letta," said Mr Alfano, who is also Italy's interior minister. | "I am firmly convinced that our party as a whole should vote confidence in Letta," said Mr Alfano, who is also Italy's interior minister. |
| The BBC's Alan Johnston, outside parliament, says the mood has been that the PM will get the support that he needs by finding enough dissidents in the Berlusconi ranks - although loyalists in the Berlusconi camp say that this is not the case. | The BBC's Alan Johnston, outside parliament, says the mood has been that the PM will get the support that he needs by finding enough dissidents in the Berlusconi ranks - although loyalists in the Berlusconi camp say that this is not the case. |
| Our correspondent says that now Mr Letta has finished speaking the debate is under way, and it is here that we will get a sense of whether there will be a mutiny in the Berlusconi camp. | |
| The first vote on Wednesday is in Senate and is expected around midday. This will be the crucial moment, as it is where Berlusconi's allies have a narrow majority. The chamber of deputies will vote later. | The first vote on Wednesday is in Senate and is expected around midday. This will be the crucial moment, as it is where Berlusconi's allies have a narrow majority. The chamber of deputies will vote later. |
| Mr Letta needs 161 votes in the Senate but can only count on the support of about 137 members, meaning he will need about 25 votes from others. | Mr Letta needs 161 votes in the Senate but can only count on the support of about 137 members, meaning he will need about 25 votes from others. |
| There are reports that between 30 and 40 PDL senators may vote for the government. | There are reports that between 30 and 40 PDL senators may vote for the government. |
| Mr Alfano's comments had caused the Italian stock market to jump on Tuesday as investors appeared increasingly confident that the government would not fall. | Mr Alfano's comments had caused the Italian stock market to jump on Tuesday as investors appeared increasingly confident that the government would not fall. |
| Carlo Giovanardi, a senator from Berlusconi's party, indicated he would support the government, adding: "We want to remain a moderate force." | Carlo Giovanardi, a senator from Berlusconi's party, indicated he would support the government, adding: "We want to remain a moderate force." |
| Fabrizio Cicchitto, a PDL deputy, said: "Making the government fall would be a mistake." | Fabrizio Cicchitto, a PDL deputy, said: "Making the government fall would be a mistake." |
| Mr Cicchitto said any new government would be "hostile to the PDL" and would be a boon for Mr Letta's centre-left Democratic Party. | Mr Cicchitto said any new government would be "hostile to the PDL" and would be a boon for Mr Letta's centre-left Democratic Party. |
| On Tuesday, Mr Letta refused to accept the resignations of five ministers from the PDL, Italy's Ansa news agency reported, citing a government source. | On Tuesday, Mr Letta refused to accept the resignations of five ministers from the PDL, Italy's Ansa news agency reported, citing a government source. |
| Mr Letta called the vote of confidence after Berlusconi ordered his ministers to leave the government in protest at a rise in VAT (sales tax). | Mr Letta called the vote of confidence after Berlusconi ordered his ministers to leave the government in protest at a rise in VAT (sales tax). |
| The prime minister accused Berlusconi of using the issue as an "alibi" for his own personal concerns. | The prime minister accused Berlusconi of using the issue as an "alibi" for his own personal concerns. |
| Analysts say the crisis threatens to hamper badly needed reforms to tackle Italy's economic problems that include debt, recession and high youth unemployment. | Analysts say the crisis threatens to hamper badly needed reforms to tackle Italy's economic problems that include debt, recession and high youth unemployment. |
| The International Monetary Fund has warned that political tensions are a risk to the Italian economy. | The International Monetary Fund has warned that political tensions are a risk to the Italian economy. |
| Mr Letta's cross-party alliance was formed in April after two months of political deadlock following an inconclusive election. | Mr Letta's cross-party alliance was formed in April after two months of political deadlock following an inconclusive election. |
| Berlusconi dominated Italian politics for nearly two decades before resigning in November 2011, in the midst of a storm over the failing economy. | Berlusconi dominated Italian politics for nearly two decades before resigning in November 2011, in the midst of a storm over the failing economy. |