Italy PM Berlusconi resigns, paving way for Prodi
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-05-03 14:47
"Now it's up to us to form a new government in the timescale that will be set
out by the president," Prodi told reporters.
Ciampi, whose seven-year term ends on May 18, has yet to say whether he will
start consultations this week on the formation of a government, or whether he
will continue to favour waiting until after parliament elects a new head of
state.
That would mean Italy would not have a new government until after parliament
elects a new president -- an often arduous process that could be eased if the
85-year-old Ciampi bows to pressure to stand for a second term.
Both Berlusconi's centre-right House of Freedoms coalition and Prodi said on
Tuesday they supported giving Ciampi a second term. Prodi expressed his hope
that "the absence of a government does not go on for long".
In a move that could speed up the creation of a new government, the speaker
of the lower house convened parliament and representatives of Italy's 20 regions
on May 8 for the presidential election, earlier than the scheduled May 12-13.
Prodi, a former European Commission president, has said Italy could give the
markets a sign of stability if his government gets down to work quickly. Credit
ratings agencies are urging Italy to shore up its finances or risk a downgrade.
Berlusconi had denounced widespread irregularities in the vote, but Italy's
Supreme Court sanctioned the count and said any further complaints should be
reviewed by the new parliament.
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