When you try to force parties with disparate  interests into a political 
coalition you best be sure the nuion is as  loose as possible with each party 
retaining their uniquenesses, the  uniquenesses that did not make ONE to begin 
with. A feel for  Italy.
 
Italy's Prodi risks Senate vote 

  
Mr Prodi says he wants the vote for the sake of the  nation

Italian  Prime Minister Romano Prodi has asked the Senate to back his 
government  ahead of a crucial confidence vote, as he faces calls to resign.  
Mr Prodi had been advised by President Giorgio Napolitano to avoid the  vote, 
which he looks to be at risk of losing. The debate has been lively,  with one 
senator carried out after fainting.  
If Mr Prodi is defeated, he will be forced to step down which could  trigger 
snap elections, which former PM Silvio Berlusconi is well placed  to win.  
The crisis started with the desertion of a small party in his  centre-left 
coalition.  
  
ITALIAN SENATE BREAKDOWN 
Total seats: 321
Majority needed:  161
Prodi's coalition: 155
Berlusconi's  coalition: 156
Others:
Life senators: 7 (4 support  Prodi)
Udeur: 3 (may abstain)



_Analysis:  Chaos and betrayal_ 
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7206817.stm) 
_Profile:  Romano Prodi_ (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/euro
pe/6387715.stm) 

Mr Prodi won a confidence vote in the lower house on Wednesday, but the  loss 
of Udeur's three seats in the Senate leaves him, on paper at least,  without 
a Senate majority.  
Mr Napolitano was reported to have advised him to consider resigning  instead 
of going ahead with Thursday's Senate vote.  
In a 10-minute speech to senators, Mr Prodi warned that a defeat for  the 
government would mean paralysing political action for weeks until a  new 
coalition could be formed, or new elections held.  
"Stopping the government's work is a luxury Italy cannot afford," he  said.  
He said the country needed continuity and backing the government would  allow 
it to deal "urgently" with electoral reform, economic renewal and  its role 
in international affairs.  
 
Nuccio Cusumano (centre) fainted after reports of  abuse and spitting

The BBC's Christian Fraser says it is possible that Mr Prodi was  betting on 
a late rally of support by pushing ahead with the vote.  
At one stage it seemed he had won a much-needed defection when Udeur  senator 
Nuccio Cusumano announced he was breaking with his party to back  the 
government, say Italian media reports.  
But the response forced a brief suspension of the session after shouts  that 
the senator was a "traitor" and a "clown" and one senator making a  hand 
gesture as if to shoot Mr Cusumano.  
Mr Cusumano was reportedly spat upon, and then fainted, before being  carried 
out on a stretcher.  
Berlusconi's boon?  
The crisis was sparked by the withdrawal on Monday of the centrist  Udeur 
party - with its three seats - from Mr Prodi's ruling coalition,  costing the 
prime minister his Senate advantage of two.  
The party pulled out, citing a lack of support for its leader, the  former 
Justice Minister Clemente Mastella, who resigned after being named  in a 
corruption probe. He maintains that he is innocent.  
_HAVE YOUR  SAY_ (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm)   
 
If Berlusconi is the other alternative, then I certainly  hope Prodi can 
survive.
Jim Bo, Sweden 
_Send us  your comments_ 
(http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4149) 


The embattled 68-year-old premier won Wednesday's Chamber of Deputies  vote 
by 326 votes to 275.  
But his hopes of mustering enough support to carry the Senate and save  his 
20-month-old, centre-left coalition look increasingly forlorn,  analysts say.  
Mr Berlusconi, a conservative former prime minister who was defeated by  Mr 
Prodi in 2006 elections, wants to see the premier defeated in the  Senate.  
This would trigger calls for snap elections, which polls suggest Mr  
Berlusconi's centre-right Forza Italia party could win comfortably, our  correspondent 
says. 



**************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL Music.     
(http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?NCID=aolcmp003000000025
48)

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