Romano Prodi

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Italian PM Fair Game in Trial Involving US Rendition

Berlusconi can be called to testify on secret matters in kidnap trial, judge rules

(Newser) - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi can be called to testify in the upcoming trial of US and Italian spies, an Italian judge ruled today. A CIA-led group is accused of kidnapping a suspected terrorist off the streets of Milan and torturing him for four years under the US' "extraordinary...

Why Italy's Obama Lost
 Why Italy's 
 Obama Lost 
ANALYSIS

Why Italy's Obama Lost

Veltroni’s personality wasn't enough to overcome frustration with left

(Newser) - An Italian politician who aggressively modeled his campaign on Barack Obama’s fell to once-and-future prime minister Silvio Berlusconi this week—and the shallowness of Walter Veltroni’s message is to blame, Dominic Standish argues in Spiked. He appropriated the slogan “Yes we can” and even re-named his party...

Here Comes Another Helping of Berlusconi

Conservative mogul set to lead Italy again after rival concedes vote

(Newser) - Conservative media mogul Silvio Berlusconi looks set to reclaim the Italian premiership, the AP reports, after center-left rival Walter Veltroni conceded defeat this evening. Berlusconi's coalition is expected to win control of both houses of Italy's legislature.

Path Clear for Berlusconi in Italy
Path Clear for Berlusconi in Italy

Path Clear for Berlusconi in Italy

Election set for April 13-14; third term as PM likely for media titan

(Newser) - Italians will elect a new parliament April 13-14, and if polls are correct, Der Spiegel reports that Silvio Berlusconi will return to office only 20 months after his last defeat. Immediately after today's announced poll date, PM Romano Prodi announced he won't stand, ceding leadership of the center-left to Rome...

Italy Ready for Snap Poll After Talks Fail

Polls suggest Berlusconi will win third term as PM

(Newser) - Italy will turn to a snap election in April to form a new government after 4 days of negotiations led by the speaker of the Senate failed to form an interim coalition. Parliament will be dissolved, and polls suggest that Silvio Berlusconi will win a third term as prime minister,...

Italy Headed for Caretaker Government
Italy Headed
for Caretaker Government

Italy Headed for Caretaker Government

Elder statesman will form interim coalition before elections

(Newser) - Italy's president has asked Senate speaker Franco Marini to form an interim government in a last-ditch effort to reform election laws ahead of a snap poll, reports the BBC. Marini was invited to head a temporary administration to change Italy's crippling voting system, which privileges small parties and has led...

Berlusconi Eyes 3rd Term as Prime Minister

Italy's richest man may be back in office in months

(Newser) - Italy's president will begin crisis talks tonight with top politicians after last night's resignation of PM Romano Prodi. While a technocrat will probably take the helm of the country for a few months, Silvio Berlusconi is waiting in the wings, and the richest man in Italy has his sights set...

Italian PM Prodi Resigns
Italian PM Prodi Resigns

Italian PM Prodi Resigns

He loses confidence vote in the Senate

(Newser) - The fat lady has sung for Italian PM Romano Prodi. After losing a confidence vote in the Senate, Prodi resigned today, the BBC reports. President Giorgio Napolitano now has to make the decision of calling a snap election or appointing a caretaker government. Former PM Berlusconi's center-right coalition would be...

Prodi's Choice: Resign Today or Lose Tonight

Italian PM may bail ahead of evening no-confidence vote

(Newser) - Italy's PM Romano Prodi may resign today rather than face defeat in a confidence vote scheduled for late this evening. After this week's defection of a small coalition party deprived Prodi of his one-seat Senate majority, his government looks set to fall. A handful of left-wing senators have also said...

Italian Govt. on Brink of Collapse
Italian Govt.
on Brink
of Collapse

Italian Govt. on Brink of Collapse

PM faces no-confidence vote after allies withdraw support

(Newser) - The Italian government looks set to collapse after a key ally unexpectedly withdrew his support from Romano Prodi's coalition yesterday. The PM will face a no-confidence vote tomorrow, and if he loses, the president will have to decide whether to give Prodi another mandate or dissolve parliament and call early...

Berlusconi Makes One Last Push for Power

Ex-PM forms new party to prepare for electoral showdown

(Newser) - Silvio Berlusconi, the richest man in Italy and the longest-serving postwar PM, is pushing for one more shot at the top by founding a new political party, reports the Independent. In a surprise move, Berlusconi is dissolving Forza Italia, the party he built from scratch, and trying to unite the...

Fraud Probe Pushes Italian PM to Brink

Ministers turn on each other amid campaign corruption charges

(Newser) - Italy's government neared meltdown last night as charges of fraud and embezzlement picked up steam. Prime Minister Romano Prodi and his justice minister are under investigation for diverting funds from the European Union to their own political party in order to shore up support during an election, reports the Guardian....

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