Italian PM Prodi resigns
{{date|February 21, 2007}}
[[Image:ProdiBari.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Romano Prodi<small> (Image credit: Beppe Moro, GFDL)</small>]]
[[Italy|Italian]] Prime Minister, [[w:Romano Prodi|Romano Prodi]], delivered his resignation today to the country's President [[w:Giorgio Napolitano|Giorgio Napolitano]]. The decision came following an embarrassing loss suffered by the Italian government on a foreign policy vote in the Italian Senate, concerning the engagement in [[Afghanistan]] and after a political split in the government coalition about the planned expansion of a U.S. Army base in [[w:Vicenza|Vicenza]], in Northern Italy.

President Napolitano will begin consultations among Italian party Leaders on the next Thursday: according to the Italian Constitution, the President can send back Prodi to the Chambers for a vote or might choose another Prime Minister who might have enough support to put together a new government, or could be forced to dissolve the Parliament and call for new elections. 

In the meantime, the President asked the government to stay on in a caretaker role.

Prodi has been Prime Minister for nine months.

{{Translated Wikinews|wiki=it|title=Prodi si è dimesso, cade il Governo|language=Italian}}

== Related news ==
*{{Wikinews|title=Italy: president Napolitano dismisses Prodi's resignation|date=February 24, 2007}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Politica/2007/02_Febbraio/21/vertice.shtml
|title=Prodi si è dimesso, domani le consultazioni|author=|pub=Corriere della sera|date=21 febbraio 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,,2018396,00.html
|title=Prodi stands down after surprise defeat in senate over US alliance
|author=John Hooper
|pub=The Guardian
|date=February 22, 2007}}

{{publish}}
{{archive}}
[[Category:Europe]]
[[Category:Italy]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Italian Parliament]]
[[Category:Romano Prodi]]

[[fr:Italie : démission de Romano Prodi, président du Conseil]]
[[it:Prodi si è dimesso, cade il Governo]]
Romano Prodi (Image credit: Beppe Moro, GFDL)
Italian Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, delivered his resignation today to the country's President Giorgio Napolitano. The decision came following an embarrassing loss suffered by the Italian government on a foreign policy vote in the Italian Senate, concerning the engagement in Afghanistan and after a political split in the government coalition about the planned expansion of a U.S. Army base in Vicenza, in Northern Italy.

President Napolitano will begin consultations among Italian party Leaders on the next Thursday: according to the Italian Constitution, the President can send back Prodi to the Chambers for a vote or might choose another Prime Minister who might have enough support to put together a new government, or could be forced to dissolve the Parliament and call for new elections. 

In the meantime, the President asked the government to stay on in a caretaker role.

Prodi has been Prime Minister for nine months.

fr:Italie : démission de Romano Prodi, président du Conseil
Europe Italy Politics and conflicts Italian Parliament Romano Prodi