ITALY:Embattled Italian prime minister Romano Prodi will put his political survival on the line tomorrow in the senate where his 20-month old government risks defeat in a cliff-hanger confidence vote.
Mr Prodi's centre-left coalition has been rocked by the withdrawal on Monday of the small, ex-Christian Democrat UDEUR party which controls three votes in the senate. Given that the Prodi government has had only a theoretical one-or-two-vote majority in the senate, the withdrawal of the UDEUR could bring down the government, paving the way for an early general election.
When this most recent crisis broke on Monday night with the announcement from the UDEUR leader, former justice minister Clemente Mastella, that his party was pulling out of the coalition, Mr Prodi's immediate reaction was to promise to address parliament. The prime minister talked tough in the lower house yesterday. He defended his government's record, calling for a vote of confidence in both houses and saying: "This government has been able to put the country together again. We have regained credibility abroad. We have begun making tax dodgers pay their tax. We have introduced measures to deal with job insecurity. We have put the nation's accounts in order and reduced public spending,thus compensating for the crazy administration of the government that went before us."
In a 20-minute speech, the prime minister also made reference to UDEUR leader Mr Mastella, suggesting there had been no justifiable reason for his ally's withdrawal. Mr Mastella resigned last week following the opening of a judicial enquiry into him and his wife, Sandra Lonardo, on charges of corruption. Mr Mastella had guaranteed his support for the government.
However, in an apparent about-turn, Mr Mastella on Monday pulled out of the government, complaining he had not received the support of his allies.
Mr Prodi yesterday defiantly refuted that, saying: "Clearly, Mastella's choice was much influenced by a judicial investigation that hit him hard on both the personal and political fronts. On a personal level and on behalf of the government I expressed my full solidarity to him, a solidarity renewed on various occasions by all the coalition parties."
Mr Prodi's nine-party coalition has staggered from crisis to crisis since taking office in May 2006, prompting politicians from both sides of the house to agree on the need for a new electoral law. Following talks between opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi and the mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, leader designate of the newly formed centre-left Democratic Party, many smaller parties have expressed fears a new electoral law could see them eliminated.
Commentators suggest Mr Mastella, leader of just such a small party, may have provoked this crisis to block the introduction of such legislation.
If Mr Prodi loses tomorrow's senate vote, he will almost certainly offer his resignation to state president Giorgio Napolitano. Then the president could dissolve parliament and call an early general election. Alternatively, Mr Napolitano may wish to see an interim "technical" government formed, one that would oversee state business and introduce a new electoral law.
Even as Mr Prodi vowed yesterday to battle on, he was faced with calls for his resignation from the opposition, with centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi firmly rejecting any solution other than an early general election: "I don't think there is any possibility of a national government, that would be masochistic, flying in the face of reality and the Italian people", said Mr Berlusconi.
The crucial senate vote takes place tomorrow evening.