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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
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| Italy's Prodi risks Senate vote | Italy's Prodi risks Senate vote |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has asked the Senate to back his government ahead of a crucial confidence vote, as he faces calls to resign. | Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has asked the Senate to back his government ahead of a crucial confidence vote, as he faces calls to resign. |
| Mr Prodi had been advised by President Giorgio Napolitano to avoid the vote, which he looks to be at risk of losing. | Mr Prodi had been advised by President Giorgio Napolitano to avoid the vote, which he looks to be at risk of losing. |
| The debate has been lively, with one senator carried out after fainting. | |
| If Mr Prodi is defeated, he will be forced to step down which could trigger snap elections, which former PM Silvio Berlusconi is well placed to win. | |
| The crisis started with the desertion of a small party in his centre-left coalition. | |
| ITALIAN SENATE BREAKDOWN Total seats: 321Majority needed: 161Prodi's coalition: 155Berlusconi's coalition: 156Others:Life senators: 7 (4 support Prodi)Udeur: 3 (may abstain) Analysis: Chaos and betrayal | ITALIAN SENATE BREAKDOWN Total seats: 321Majority needed: 161Prodi's coalition: 155Berlusconi's coalition: 156Others:Life senators: 7 (4 support Prodi)Udeur: 3 (may abstain) Analysis: Chaos and betrayal |
| Mr Prodi won a confidence vote in the lower house on Wednesday, but the loss of Udeur's three seats in the Senate leaves him, on paper at least, without a Senate majority. | |
| Mr Napolitano was reported to have advised him to consider resigning instead of going ahead with Thursday's Senate vote. | |
| In a 10-minute speech to senators, Mr Prodi warned that a defeat for the government would mean paralysing political action for weeks until a new coalition could be formed, or new elections held. | In a 10-minute speech to senators, Mr Prodi warned that a defeat for the government would mean paralysing political action for weeks until a new coalition could be formed, or new elections held. |
| "Stopping the government's work is a luxury Italy cannot afford," he said. | "Stopping the government's work is a luxury Italy cannot afford," he said. |
| He said the country needed continuity and backing the government would allow it to deal "urgently" with electoral reform, economic renewal and its role in international affairs. | He said the country needed continuity and backing the government would allow it to deal "urgently" with electoral reform, economic renewal and its role in international affairs. |
| Nuccio Cusumano (centre) fainted after reports of abuse and spitting | |
| The BBC's Christian Fraser says it is possible that Mr Prodi was betting on a late rally of support by pushing ahead with the vote. | |
| At one stage it seemed he had won a much-needed defection when Udeur senator Nuccio Cusumano announced he was breaking with his party to back the government, say Italian media reports. | |
| But the response forced a brief suspension of the session after shouts that the senator was a "traitor" and a "clown" and one senator making a hand gesture as if to shoot Mr Cusumano. | |
| Mr Cusumano was reportedly spat upon, and then fainted, before being carried out on a stretcher. | |
| Berlusconi's boon? | Berlusconi's boon? |
| The crisis was sparked by the withdrawal on Monday of the centrist Udeur party - with its three seats - from Mr Prodi's ruling coalition, costing the prime minister his Senate advantage of two. | The crisis was sparked by the withdrawal on Monday of the centrist Udeur party - with its three seats - from Mr Prodi's ruling coalition, costing the prime minister his Senate advantage of two. |
| The party pulled out, citing a lack of support for its leader, the former Justice Minister Clemente Mastella, who resigned after being named in a corruption probe. He maintains that he is innocent. | The party pulled out, citing a lack of support for its leader, the former Justice Minister Clemente Mastella, who resigned after being named in a corruption probe. He maintains that he is innocent. |
| HAVE YOUR SAYIf Berlusconi is the other alternative, then I certainly hope Prodi can survive.Jim Bo, Sweden href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4149">Send us your comments | |
| The embattled 68-year-old premier won Wednesday's Chamber of Deputies vote by 326 votes to 275. | The embattled 68-year-old premier won Wednesday's Chamber of Deputies vote by 326 votes to 275. |
| But his hopes of mustering enough support to carry the Senate and save his 20-month-old, centre-left coalition look increasingly forlorn, analysts say. | But his hopes of mustering enough support to carry the Senate and save his 20-month-old, centre-left coalition look increasingly forlorn, analysts say. |
| Mr Berlusconi, a conservative former prime minister who was defeated by Mr Prodi in 2006 elections, wants to see the premier defeated in the Senate. | Mr Berlusconi, a conservative former prime minister who was defeated 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 Forza Italia party could win comfortably, our correspondent says. | This would trigger calls for snap elections, which polls suggest Mr Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia party could win comfortably, our correspondent says. |