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Prodi set for PM post
10/05/2006 22:01 - (SA)
Rome - Italy elected a new president on Wednesday.
The election ends a lengthy period of political limbo in the country, and opens the way for Romano Prodi to become prime minister - more than a month after beating Silvio Berlusconi at the polls.
Prodi's candidate, Giorgio Napolitano, an ex-communist 80-year-old life senator, secured 543 votes from the "grand electors" (parliamentarians and regional representatives). This was 38 more than the absolute majority needed.
The result is an important victory for Prodi, who cannot take office until the new president is in place, and gives him a mandate to form a government.
After the vote, Prodi said he expected to be able to swear in his new government by next Wednesday - when Napolitano takes over from outgoing President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.
The result was the latest blow for outgoing prime minister Berlusconi, who had refused to back Napolitano.
Berlusconi grudgingly admits defeat
He said his voters would not understand if his bloc backed a former communist.
But Prodi's coalition pushed their candidate through - against the wishes of the opposition - after three initial rounds of voting had resulted in a political stalemate.
Berlusconi grudgingly acknowledged Napolitano's election: "We are still convinced that half of the country has been excluded.
"This is not the will of the people but we wish him well and good work."
Napolitano's victory will have come as a huge relief for Prodi, as it shows he does have the political stature defeat Berlusconi.
The former prime minister remains a strong force as head of the single biggest party in the Italian parliament.
Napolitano has wafer-thin majority
But Napolitano's inability to get his candidate elected in the early rounds has highlighted problems he may face in pushing through his policy agenda.
His wafer-thin majority is made up of diverse parties, ranging from the centre to the hard left.
Napolitano is a former Italian house speaker and interior minister.
He was appointed to the rare honorary position of Italian senator for life last year.
He is expected to be sworn in next Monday as Italy's 11th post-World War II head of state.
The post of president is largely ceremonial, but the head of state has the power to name the country's prime minister, dissolve parliament and send legislation back to parliament.
- Reuters
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