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PM Calls For Italy Vote Recount

Romano Prodi claimed victory in the closest Italian election since World War II, as Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi demanded a recount and refused to concede the election. Final results for the Chamber of Deputies showed Prodi`s alliance winning by just 25,224 out of more than 38 million votes cast. Prodi also appeared to have reversed a Berlusconi lead in the Senate.

Exit polls had Prodi taking four of six seats set aside for Italians living abroad according to Senator Franco Danieli, who is a member of Romano Prodi`s Union Coalition, said at a Rome press conference. If that count holds, Prodi will win 158 seats to Berlusconi`s 156.

"A narrow majority for Prodi would make it very difficult to pass measures to boost growth and balance the public accounts,`` said Salvatore Zecchini, a professor of international economic policy at Rome`s Tor Vergata University. "A divided parliament would most likely lead to a temporary government,`` he added.