GONE today, here tomorrow. Almost exactly, a year after taking office at the head of a so called "technical" government, the Italian Prime Minister, Mr Lambreto Dini, last night stepped down, thus opening a confused government crisis to which, ironically the most likely resolution may be his re appointment.
The Prime Minister told parliament that, after listening to a two day confidence debate on his government, he had no option but to resign.
The parliamentary debate had been prompted by President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro, who had, rejected Mr Dini's offer of resignation on December 30th.
In concluding the parliamentary debate, Mr Dini observed that while there was a "general consensus" regarding the need to both guarantee Italy's term of EU presidency and to introduce electoral and institutional reforms, there was no agreement as to how those ends might be achieved.
He said parliament appeared agreed that his "technical" government had fulfilled all its original functions and that the time had come to open a "new phase" in political life.
"I therefore conclude that it is my strict duty to refer to the State President so that he may draw his gown conclusions, confirming to him my resignation as already offered", the Prime Minister concluded.
While it remains unclear exactly what "conclusions" President Scalfaro may cone to, it is certain that this time he will accept Mr Dini's resignation.
At first glance, it would appear that the President has only two choices. He can either dissolve parliament and call an immediate general election or he can swiftly, appoint a short term successor to Mr Dini, mandated only to see the EU term of presidency through, to an authoritative conclusion in June.
Given the President's oft stated desire to avoid elections and to, guarantee political continuity during the EU presidency, political analysts last night speculated chat he would do all within his power to find a short term successor to Mr Dini.
Given the need to act swiftly and given the difficulty of finding a candidate likely to win the support of the both the centre left and centre right, President Scalfaro is likely to open his consultations by suggesting that Mr Dini should succeed himself in office, at least until June.
The two major leaders of the centre right, the media tycoon Mr Silvio Berlusconi, and Mr Gianfranco Fini, leader of the ex Fascist National Alliance, both welcomed Mr Dini's resignation, last night but were cautious about that it would lead to an immediate general election.
"The significant thing is that Prime Minister Dini has resigned and that a political crisis has been opened, leading to a round of political consultations", Mr Fini commented.
Mr Massimo D'Alema, leader of the ex communist Democratic Left (PDS) which dominates the centre left, was less cautious suggesting that an early election was now more probable.
Mr D'Alema argued that the resignation of Mr Dini would make it much more difficult for the centre right and centre left to reach agreement on the nature either of any short term government or of the electoral or institutional reforms it might be mandated to introduce.
President Scalfaro will begin a weekend long round of consultations tomorrow in an attempt to find a speedy resolution to the crisis. He faces an uphill task.
. The trial of Italy's former prime minister, Mr Giulio Andreotti, on charges of links with the Mafia was adjourned yesterday when bad weather ink the US prevented a key witness, a former New York district prosecutor Mr Richard Martin, from arriving to testify in Padua.