Italy's president is due to hold talks with political leaders today to see whether he can avoid calling snap elections after a no-confidence vote forced Prime Minister Romano Prodi's government to resign.
Mr Prodi stepped down late last night after losing, as expected, the vote in the Senate. It was a crushing defeat for the centre left, which could usher in a return to power for former centre-right prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Under the constitution, President Giorgio Napolitano must consult party and parliamentary leaders as well as former heads of state to find a way out of the political impasse.
The talks, set to begin on Friday, are expected to be long and difficult, as there is no consensus between the main political forces on what to do.
Mr Berlusconi's centre-right opposition, which has a solid lead in opinion polls, wants early elections, and those could be held within the next two months. Some Italians favour the idea.
"The worst is over . . . the most disastrous government in the country's history has gone home," cheered Il Giornalenewspaper, which is owned by Mr Berlusconi's family.
Left-leaning La Repubblicamourned Mr Prodi's "unjust demise" following a mutiny by Catholic centrist allies who brought down his coalition after just 20 months. Centrist Corrierecalled it a "pre-announced suicide".