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ITALY IS SET to end two months of political uncertainty this evening when the country’s new Senate formally ratifies the appointment of a new government.
The administration – which will have Enrico Letta as its Prime Minister – is a coalition of the two largest parties, Letta’s Democratic Party and the People of Freedom movement led by Silvio Berlusconi, and also includes ministers from Mario Monti’s independent coalition.
The appointment will formally mean that Monti’s interim administration, which has remained in power despite being handed a heavy defeat in February’s election, can end.
Italian electoral law means the party (or electoral coalition) which tops the national poll for the Chamber of Deputies is guaranteed to be given a majority in that house – meaning that the Democratic Party, led into the election by Pier Luigi Bersani, had an automatic majority.
However, Bersani failed to secure a majority in the Senate, thanks to the strong regional performance of Berlusconi’s People of Freedom and the protest votes gathered by the Five Star Movement of the former comedian Beppe Grillo.
The logjam and ensuing negotiations saw Bersani step down, to be replaced by his former deputy leader Letta, who has forged a coalition with the People of Freedom – a broad marriage which leaves Grillo’s upstart movement as the main opposition body.
The independent coalition founded by Monti to fight February’s election, and which came a disappointing fourth behind Grillo’s protest movement, backed the motion of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies, giving it an easy win by 453 votes to 153.
Letta has already technically been sworn in as premier, but the first duty of a new administration is to be supported in a vote of confidence by both houses of parliament, and would be expected to immediately resign if he was rejected.
The coalition has promised to end an unpopular property tax – following an election pledge by Berlusconi – and a cut to some income tax.
Mindful of the fact that he did not himself fight the election, and that his predecessor Monti had not been elected by the people, Letta has promised to examine his record after 18 months and call an election if he is not achieving success.
His cabinet features seven women, including the first Afro-Italian minister in the country’s history, and has an average age of 53 – significantly younger than previous administrations.
Additional reporting by AP and AFP
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This is great to see! PSG the best team by a mile and well deserved. They should have scored over 10 goals the 2 legs.
@Micky The Pikey: Utd fan ? Say you just keep focused on the relegation battle , and send over a few sandwiches to the canteen in old trafford lmfao
@DC: no stopping the Sloth machine!!! Hahahhahaha!! Ynwa a jokers
@Micky The Pikey: only ten,can you not count after that,or did you run out of fingers .
@Deano74: yes possibly more so but it’s great to put them back in their box thinking they are the best in the world. Premier league is
Poorest it’s been for years.
@DC: nothing he said wasn’t true. Unbelievably fortunate to win the first leg and their goal led a charmed life in the second. But sure bring up man utd because you can’t counter with any footballing argument.
@Micky The Pikey: The best in the world cr*p is just a myth, peddled by tools to draw in f00ls, well done they got ye, Liverpool are the best in England right now only,as psg are in France,no meaningful competition exists to test this theory,and as always,it’s a poor league when someone else’s team are winning it.
@Deano74: the poor league bit is really down to 19 teams being abysmal as opposed to one being decent.
@Deano74: id say he has at least another 2 on each hand , thanks to genetics !!
Great match, we had chances, so did they. Can’t win them all. Enjoy the rest of the season. YNWA.
@Daniel Gilroy: We? Do you play for Liverpool?
@Sun Rise: I’m gonna hedge my bets here and guess he’s a fan of Liverpool, hence the “we”. Of course I could be wrong and he may be a player. Fair play if he is but the way I see it is, a football club is much more than just it’s players. It’s the owners, the staff, the sponsors, the media, the fans, the players and probably many others with differing interests. But all with an investment and a kinship to a club. So yeah I think it’s fair to say “we” if you have any connection to a club.
@John Paul Gallagher: does watching something on TV really give someone a connection to a club? Are “we” going for a few scoops down the Rovers Return later, or will “we” compete with the Nazis to secure possession of the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis get their faces burned off by opening it instead?
@George Bowling: did ‘we’ write the jokes you robbed from that Mitchell and Webb look too?
@Sun Rise: I’m impressed, that could be the most original query in the history of The Journal……
Liverpool having a great year and beaten by a very good team.
Slot will get his chance to improve the team with a few of his own transfers in over the Summer so I would say exciting times ahead for Liverpool.
@Moses: A few weeks ago you scousers were claiming to be the best team in the world. That’s laughable now. Stop Salah, which PSG did, and you stop Liverpool. They are a one dimensional team at best and if City hadn’t collapsed this year they would win nothing.
@John Fagan: Don’t agree,city have lost 9 I think,in a decent city year lets say they won 7 of those 9,points wise they still trail Liverpool,it’s all IFS and butts I know,but what is for sure is Liverpool are winning the league and city aren’t .
@John Fagan: Another bitter MU Fan. Such a sad bunch of REAL LOSERS!
@Fred: I am not a Man U fan. I think you need to realise people don’t like Liverpool because they always go on like they are the greatest team ever but never back it up. They just talk about it.
@Fred: and Plymouth if all teams wiped the floor with Liverpool. Hopefully they bugger off now for a few years once the key players leave this season.
Better team over the two legs and deserved to go through. Much more of a team than when they had the collection of exceptional individuals.
Liverpool out classed over the two legs, best team went through, good entertainment though, it’s a poor premier league this year and it’s showing in Europe.
@Allo Allo: Oh and the French League is such a top class league? PSG fully deserved to go through, but they are no better than Man City, tainted by Saudi Arabian money. With all the money put into that club, themselves and City should be winning the Champions League every other year!!
@The Firestarter: PSG have top manager and top players regardless of league. Liverpool are faceing a player walk out and need a rebuild at end of season
It just wasn’t to be. Great team all the same.
They were very lucky in the 1st leg and Alyson played a blinder.
Couldn’t understand why they were so cautious trying to defend a 1 goal deficit, at home. Strange given they are the ‘best team in the world’.
@Jack: they are not the best team in the world. Best team in England currently. But you have to hand it to them, made the most money from the CL league stage and will win the Prem. Slots first season. The years ahead are looking sound. If they had a blank cheque book, it would be interesting
Psg deserved it over the two legs,no complaints TBH,on to Sunday now.
Nunez failed team – professional footballer cannot kick a ball – for the money they’re paid – awful
@D: set up elliot last week , swings and roundabouts , any other night mo would have buried his chance in the first 10 mins
@D: yes he missed his penalty,we’re all shocked and saddened,no doubt we will all find comfort and solace from somewhere.
Best team won on the night in the two, in saying that we need to take stock of what we got, Vandyke Needs to go imo, they should not keep him for a another year, all he does is designate and makes it look like he’s doing something, CK is a better keeper for pens, and Nunez is a jinx I could not believe he was taking a pen. The league is won and we have the cup on Sunday.SO Y.W.N.A
@Phillip Smyth: Van dyke has another year left,he’s a leader,that’s what they do,konate in my opinion would be an utter shambles without Van dyke beside him.
@Deano74: it’s just myOP have a look at him next time. I have to agree he has been a great asset to the defense of the club, but his time is up.
@Phillip Smyth: TBH I’ve been watching vvd for years,his time is approaching,he is in his thirties,he has another year left in him I think,without a ready made replacement that defence would fall to sh*t without him,as a said above hés a leader,barking instruction,and more importantly those around him listen
have your say