The Italian Election
Much confusion still remains as Italy is recovering from months of election campaigning by current Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his center-left challenger Romano Prodi. Prodi was declared the winner of both houses of parliament, but the margin was tiny. Berlusconi demands the checking of thousands of ballots. It looks like the Italians will be facing an uncertain future for weeks, or months, to come.
Election officials are now routinely checking about 43,000 contested ballot papers. The outcome of their check is expected later on Thursday or Friday.
Mr Berlusconi’s government had pushed through an electoral reform last year which brought back full proportional representation. Critics said it increased the risk of unstable governments, characteristic of post-war Italy. Mr Prodi, previously an Italian prime minister and president of the European Commission, said his victory would not be reversed.
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Administrator @ April 13, 2006