NEWS ABOUT: Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi stories: 12 news briefs
Berlusconi can be called to testify on secret matters in kidnap trial, judge rules
Reuters May 14, 08 3:31 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
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 rendition" approach. Berlusconi isn’t accused of anything; instead, he’d testify regarding secret government matters.
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ANALYSIS
Veltroni’s personality wasn't enough to overcome frustration with left
Spiked Apr 16, 08 4:50 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
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 Democratic, but Veltroni mainly left voters in the dark as to what he stood for.
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Conservative mogul set to lead Italy again after rival concedes vote
Associated Press Apr 14, 08 2:32 PM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
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.
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Election set for April 13-14; third term as PM likely for media titan
Der Spiegel Feb 6, 08 12:39 PM CST
(Newser Summary) -
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 mayor Walter Veltroni. "Someone had to set the example," Prodi said.
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Polls suggest Berlusconi will win
third term as PM
Reuters Feb 5, 08 10:45 AM CST
(Newser Summary) -
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, Reuters reports. The new administration will be Italy's 62nd since World War II.
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Elder statesman will form interim coalition before elections
BBC Jan 31, 08 10:33 AM CST
(Newser Summary) -
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 to the unmanageable multi-party coalitions that led to PM Romano Prodi's downfall.
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Italy's richest man
may be back in office
in months
Bloomberg Jan 25, 08 9:52 AM CST
(Newser Summary) -
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 on a third term as prime minister. With the center-right riding high in the polls, his supporters are predicting a return to power within months, reports Bloomberg.
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He loses confidence vote in the Senate
BBC Jan 24, 08 3:27 PM CST
(Newser Summary) -
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 likely to win an upcoming election, say experts.
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Italian PM may bail ahead of evening no-confidence vote
AFP Jan 24, 08 6:35 AM CST
(Newser Summary) -
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 they will vote against the government, leaving Prodi to decide whether to go through with the vote or throw in the towel.
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PM faces no-confidence vote after allies withdraw support
Bloomberg Jan 22, 08 10:48 AM CST
(Newser Summary) -
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 elections. "I will not discuss. It’s over," said the instigator of the collapse.
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Ex-PM forms new party to prepare for electoral showdown
Independent (UK) Nov 20, 07 12:27 PM CST
(Newser Summary) -
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 center-right to push Romano Prodi out of office.
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Ministers turn on each other amid campaign corruption charges
Guardian (UK) Oct 23, 07 6:48 AM CDT
(Newser Summary) -
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 . Ministers are trading insults and Prodi's fragile majority is nearing collapse.
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