Second attempt to elect new Italian president

The Italian parliament today resumed voting to elect the country’s new president, but no winner was expected to emerge from the second round of voting as the two political coalitions still had not agreed on a candidate.

Election of a president would clear the way for Romano Prodi, whose center-left forces narrowly won elections last month, to finally get the mandate to form a government. The Italian president, as head of state, gives the mandate.