Italian President Giorgio Napolitano is consulting with political leaders today in talks on the formation of a new government following the resignation of Premier Romano Prodi's nine-month-old cabinet.
Mr Prodi stepped down on Wednesday evening after an embarrassing parliamentary defeat over foreign policy, including the government's plan to keep troops in Afghanistan. He is staying on in a caretaker role.
Italian Senate president Franco Marini (C) leaves the Quirinale palace after crisis talks with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in Rome. REUTERS/Dario Pignatelli (ITALY)
In the early hours of this morning, Mr Prodi emerged from a late night meeting of his center-left coalition with agreement on a plan that could help him form a new government and return to office.
The first item on that 12-point plan, described as a binding agenda for any new Prodi government, calls for respecting Italy's international commitments in Afghanistan and elsewhere. The plan also gives the premier the final word on any disagreement in the squabbling coalition.
Leaders emerging from the meeting indicated that Prodi had lined up enough support in his bid to quickly return to office, securing pledges from partners that their party lawmakers would give him the vote of confidence in Parliament that a new government would need.
President Napolitano has been holding talks to determine which politician has enough backing in Parliament to form a viable government. He met first with members of the conservative opposition and is scheduled to hold talks with center-left leaders in the afternoon.
Once the consultations at the presidential palace conclude, Napolitano might ask Prodi or another leader from his coalition to form a new government. He might also tap an institutional figure above the political fray to form a Cabinet - possibly with broad support from both coalitions - or might call early elections.