Italian Prime Minister Massimo D' Alema announced Saturday night that he would resign, opening the way for a formal government crisis he hopes will end with his reinstatement.

Speaking at the end of a parliamentary debate called to clarify the situation in his fractious center-left majority, D'Alema said he would shortly hand his resignation to President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

Opening the parliamentary debate which is expected to clarify just how much support the premier has, D'Alema said the center-left coalition needed to rediscover its direction and aims.

"I sense the need for a reaffirmation of the alliance's fundamental ideas and program," he told lower house Parliament Members, "for a clear strategic direction and for a coalition that doesn't appear a momentary meeting but a project for government today and tomorrow."

In recent weeks the government has appeared paralyzed by bickering within the 10-party coalition which supports it in parliament and the alliance's identity and goals have consequently become blurred.

The prime minister is said to be confident that most of his allies will ask for him to be given a mandate to form a new government, enabling him to reform his cabinet according to the changed political picture.

Since D'Alema came to power a little more than a year ago, a new party, the Democrats, has emerged as a strong force on the center-left while relations with former president Francesco Cossiga and his centrist followers have soured.

D'Alema, who has appeared increasingly unpopular in the center-left lately, lost his patience after the latest criticism against him and said he was ready to go if he no longer had enough support to govern.

Addressing his allies Saturday evening, he urged them not to push for snap elections, which are an option open to President Ciampi if it emerges that neither the present prime minister or anyone else can muster a majority. "The country does not need lacerations nor a traumatic dissolving of parliament," he said. (Xinhua)