Talks on future Italian government continue

Italy’s president today began a second day of talks with party leaders on a future government, after the resignation of Silvio Berlusconi as Italy’s premier.

Berlusconi stepped down on Wednesday, but vowed to form new Cabinet immediately. Yesterday, he said he could have a line-up of new ministers ready by the end of today.

“I’m working, I’m serene and optimistic, and I think that with dedication and patience problems get solved,” Berlusconi was quoted as saying late yesterday.

President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi is assessing whether the premier has enough support to form a new government. His talks with political parties are set to end at noon.

The president has two options: to dissolve parliament and call early elections or to designate a premier to assemble a new government. He is widely expected to tap Berlusconi to form a new Cabinet to serve until the end of the legislature’s term in mid-2006.

The crisis of the ruling conservative coalition stems from an embarrassing defeat suffered in April regional elections held across the country. Berlusconi’s allies demanded he step down and form a reshuffled cabinet – a technique used by several Italian premiers in the past to strengthen faltering coalitions.

Berlusconi, who was elected in 2001 and had been leading Italy’s longest-serving post-war government, had resisted the move, sensing it would undermine his image as a new-style politician.

But he was eventually forced to give in after a government partner withdrew its ministers and another one – the second largest in the coalition after Berlusconi’s own party – threatened to pull out.