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Coalition Talks begin in Italy

Italian president, Giorgio Napolitano, began holding consultations with various politicians regarding the creation of a new government, after Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned, only nine months into his term. Prodi resigned last week after loosing a vote in parliament regarding his foreign policy, which supports the continued deployment of Italian soldiers in Afghanistan. Prodi also lost the vote for the expansion of a US military airbase in northern Italy. In the meanwhile, Prodi will remain prime minister. The consultations, held in the Presidential Palace, are intended to determine, which politicians, if any, will be able to gather enough votes in parliament, in order to avoid a reelection.

Napolitano may ask Prodi or someone else from his coalition to create a center-left government. The president began his consultations with Senate chairman, who is considered a possible candidate for the job. He plans to also meet the chairman of the lower house, party leaders and former presidents, later this week.

Many political analysts say that it is unlikely that Napolitano will announce a new election, so long before the official election date which is set during 2011. Many Italian politicians are pushing for the changing of the Italian election process saying it favors small parties, which creates political instability. Most likely, the president will call on Prodi to create a new coalition, but this coalition, if created, will still depend on the same parties which caused him to resign, so that even if the new government is created it will still be very fragile.