Italy: President Napolitano dismisses Prodi's resignation
{{date|February 24, 2007}}
{{Article-audiobrief|filename=240207 2100 newsbrief.ogg|commonsurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/240207_2100_newsbrief.ogg|align=right}}
[[Image:RomanoProdi cropped 2june2006 049.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Romano Prodi.]]

The President of the [[Italy|Italian Republic]], [[w:Giorgio Napolitano|Giorgio Napolitano]], has asked [[w:Romano Prodi|Romano Prodi]] today to stay on as Prime Minister, but Prodi will need to pass a confidence vote as soon as possible. After two days of consultation among Italian party leaders, Napolitano called on Saturday a press conference to explain his decision.

Napolitano stated that Prodi's coalition, [[w:l'Unione|l'Unione]], is ready to support unanimously its Prime Minister, above all after the drafting of the twelve points agreement about the main political issues. The President rejected the proposal from the centre-right opposition to call for fresh elections, because Italy needs a new electoral law, and there was no consensus to form a broad interim government.

The confidence votes, both in [[w:Italian Chamber of Deputies|Italian Chamber of Deputies]] and [[w:Italian Senate|Senate]], will be held in the coming week.

Thanks to the vote of independent Senator [[w:Luigi Pallaro|Luigi Pallaro]], [[w:Marco Follini|Marco Follini]], leader of a centrist movement, and the votes of four senators for life ([[w:Carlo Azeglio Ciampi|Carlo Azeglio Ciampi]], [[w:Emilio Colombo|Emilio Colombo]], [[w:Rita Levi Montalcini|Rita Levi Montalcini]] and [[w:Oscar Luigi Scalfaro|Oscar Luigi Scalfaro]]), the centre-left coalition could trust in a majority of 162 votes in Senate. The centre-right coalition, instead, has some 155 votes, although it is unknown how the ex-senator of the "[[w:Italy of Values|Italia dei Valori]]" Sergio De Gregorio and the life-senators [[w:Giulio Andreotti|Giulio Andreotti]], [[w:Francesco Cossiga|Francesco Cossiga]] and [[w:Sergio Pininfarina|Sergio Pininfarina]] will vote.

== Related news ==
*{{Wikinews|title=Italian PM Prodi resigns|date=February 21, 2007}}

==Sources==
{{Translated Wikinews|wiki=it|title=Italia: Napolitano rinvia Romano Prodi alle camere per la fiducia|language=Italian}}
*{{source|author=|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2007/b/dirette/sezioni/politica/afghanistanfiducia/decisione/index.html
|title=Napolitano rimanda il governo Prodi alle Camere
|pub=la Repubblica
|date=February 24, 2007}}
*{{source|author=|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2007/02/sezioni/politica/governo-crisi/follini-sostegno/follini-sostegno.html
|title="Voterò la fiducia a Prodi per il centrosinistra del futuro"
|pub=la Repubblica
|date=February 24, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.repubblica.it/2007/02/sezioni/politica/governo-crisi/sudoku-fiducia/sudoku-fiducia.html
|author=Carmelo Lopapa
|title=Follini sceglierà l'Unione, ecco il sudoku della fiducia
|pub=la Repubblica
|date=February 24, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6391669.stm|title=Italian PM asked to resume duties|author=|pub=BBC|date=February 24, 2007}}

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[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Italy]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Italian Parliament]]
[[Category:Romano Prodi]]

[[fr:Italie : Giorgio Napolitano impose au gouvernement Prodi un vote de confiance devant le Parlement]]
[[it:Italia: Napolitano rinvia Romano Prodi alle Camere per la fiducia]]
Romano Prodi.

The President of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, has asked Romano Prodi today to stay on as Prime Minister, but Prodi will need to pass a confidence vote as soon as possible. After two days of consultation among Italian party leaders, Napolitano called on Saturday a press conference to explain his decision.

Napolitano stated that Prodi's coalition, l'Unione, is ready to support unanimously its Prime Minister, above all after the drafting of the twelve points agreement about the main political issues. The President rejected the proposal from the centre-right opposition to call for fresh elections, because Italy needs a new electoral law, and there was no consensus to form a broad interim government.

The confidence votes, both in Italian Chamber of Deputies and Senate, will be held in the coming week.

Thanks to the vote of independent Senator Luigi Pallaro, Marco Follini, leader of a centrist movement, and the votes of four senators for life (Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Emilio Colombo, Rita Levi Montalcini and Oscar Luigi Scalfaro), the centre-left coalition could trust in a majority of 162 votes in Senate. The centre-right coalition, instead, has some 155 votes, although it is unknown how the ex-senator of the "Italia dei Valori" Sergio De Gregorio and the life-senators Giulio Andreotti, Francesco Cossiga and Sergio Pininfarina will vote.

fr:Italie : Giorgio Napolitano impose au gouvernement Prodi un vote de confiance devant le Parlement
it:Italia: Napolitano rinvia Romano Prodi alle Camere per la fiducia
Europe Italy Politics and conflicts Italian Parliament Romano Prodi