Italian president seeks to avoid early elections

ITALY’S president began a round of crisis talks between the country’s leading political figures yesterday aimed at averting early elections after the resignation of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi started a round of talks yesterday morning with senate speaker Marcello Pera which will end with a meeting with representatives of Mr Berlusconi’s own Forza Italia party this morning.

By that time, the composition of Mr Berlusconi’s next government - to carry him through to elections slated for the first half of next year - should have been agreed with the same coalition partners as in his outgoing administration.