Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned late Wednesday after his government lost a crucial parliamentary vote on foreign policy. The president will now begin talks with political leaders to discuss a way forward. Sabina Castelfranco reports for VOA from Rome. Romano Prodi's center-left government had been in power only nine months ...| ... twice as long as the usual Italian government ... |
President Giorgio Napolitano said he will begin consultations with party leaders Thursday. He may ask Mr. Prodi to form a new government or broker the formation of a different government, possibly involving technocrats. His options also include dissolving parliament and calling an early general election. For the moment, he has asked Mr. Prodi to remain in power in a caretaker capacity.
After his loss in the Senate, Mr. Prodi convened an special cabinet meeting as more than a hundred opposition supporters gathered outside his offices, calling for him to step down. Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema had said before the vote that the government should resign if its policy lost parlimentary support. He said those who agreed with the government's foreign policy should vote in favor and those who didn't should vote against, so that a clear picture would emerge out of the Senate.
Opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi said after the vote the government had no other option but to quit. He said, "From this disaster, the country must come out immediately with the resignation of this government. If Prodi is sensible, he will step down."