Italian Prime Minister ResignsPrime Minister Giuliano Amato formally resigned Thursday, paving the way for media baron Silvio Berlusconi, whose center-right coalition won parliamentary elections May 13, to form a new government.President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi asked Amato to stay on in a caretaker role until a new government is in place, possibly within two weeks, Ciampi's office said in a statement. Amato's resignation from the helm of a center-left coalition, which had been in place for five years, means Ciampi can soon begin consulting with heads of Italian political parties to confirm the solid majority Berlusconi's forces now hold in parliament. It is up to Ciampi to give Berlusconi the formal mandate. Earlier in the day, Berlusconi said that he hoped to have his new, center-right government in place in time for a NATO summit in Brussels on June 13, meaning his Cabinet might soon be ready. Also Thursday, a key Berlusconi ally and former Christian Democrat was elected speaker of the Chamber of Deputies. Pier Ferdinando Casini, 45, was elected by a simple majority in the 630-member Chamber in the fourth round of voting. On Wednesday, the first meeting of the new parliament, the Senate chose Marcello Pera as its president. The leaders of the two houses will have considerable power since they will control the legislative agenda. Berlusconi is in the thick of negotiations over the new government. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |