Rome - The Italian Prime Minister, Mr Massimo D'Alema, shifted his power base to the left dropping key centrist allies in favour of the party founded by his predecessor, Mr Romano Prodi.
After weeks of political in-fighting between members of the outgoing government, Mr D'Alema had struggled to realign the ruling coalition.
Mr D'Alema's Democrats of the Left, the largest party in parliament, hold eight government posts, while the incoming Democrats get two ministries. Mr D'Alema won a confidence vote in the upper house of parliament by the expected clear majority early this morning. The vote, 177 votes in favour to 100 against, followed an address yesterday by Mr D'Alema, who said institutional reform, including changes to the electoral system, was crucial to Italy's future.