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New government for Italy
17/05/2006 14:38 - (SA)
Rome - Italy's prime minister designate Romano Prodi unveiled his new government on Wednesday, after presenting his list of ministers to President Giorgio Napolitano for approval.
As expected, the new government features former prime minister Massimo D'Alema as foreign minister, and former European Central Bank board member Tomasso Padoa-Schioppa as economy minister.
D'Alema, 57, will also hold one of two deputy prime ministerial positions along with Francesco Rutelli, who doubles as culture minister.
International financial bodies are likely to see the appointment of technocrat Padoa-Schioppa as a promise of measures to reduce public debt, which mushroomed under the outgoing conservative government of Silvio Berlusconi.
Prodi is a former European Commission president. He was only able to complete his list after haggling over key posts within his nine-party coalition. The haggling went on until the early hours of Wednesday.
The bickering underlines the problems Prodi is likely to face in government. He is defending a razor-thin parliamentary majority after the closest Italian election in living memory.
Mastella is a surprise choice
His ministerial list featured the surprise choice of Clemente Mastella, leader of the small Catholic Udeur party, as justice minister.
Mastella, whose party holds three senate seats, had threatened to pull out of the government if he was not handed a key ministry.
The government is dominated by the two biggest centre-left parties, the Democrats of the Left and the centrist Margherita. Prodi is one of five independents.
It includes Paolo Ferrero of the Refoundation Communist party, who will have responsibility for welfare, and six women - four more than the outgoing centre-right government.
Alessandro Bianchi, an independent, will take charge of transport.
In a front page editorial, the Corriere della Sera said the new government was more left-leaning than had been anticipated.
Mastella choice is a blow to leftists
The surprise choice of Mastella for the justice ministry was an early blow to leftists, who have pledged wide-ranging social reform - not least the state recognition of same sex couples, in the disparate coalition.
Legal recognition of same-sex unions is fiercely opposed by Pope Benedict XVI.
Former anti-corruption judge Antonio Di Pietro, has been handed the infrastructure portfolio.
Giuliano Amato, former vice-chairman of the European Convention that wrote the European Union's stalled constitution, will be interior minister.
The government will be sworn-in by President Giorgio Napolitano. The new cabinet's first meeting will take place later on Wednesday.
Prodi said he would go before the senate with a confidence motion on Thursday, with a vote in the upper house, where he holds a two-seat majority, likely on Friday.
A second vote of confidence is due to follow next week in the lower house chamber of deputies.
- AFP
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