Government crisis would be "fatal," Italy Premier warns

Government crisis would be "fatal," Italy Premier warns

A government crisis would be "fatal" for Italy, Prime Minister Enrico Letta warned Wednesday ahead of a knife-edge confidence vote in the Senate prompted by Silvio Berlusconi's threat to pull out of the ruling coalition.

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A government crisis would be "fatal" for Italy, Prime Minister Enrico Letta warned Wednesday ahead of a knife-edge confidence vote  in the Senate prompted by Silvio Berlusconi's threat to pull out of  the ruling coalition.
  
"Italy is running a risk that could be fatal," Letta said in a speech to the Senate, stressing that the country needed political stability to emerge from a record-length recession and maintain markets' confidence.
   
"It depends on a 'yes' or a 'no'," said Letta, who in his 45-minute speech also noted that Italy is due to assume the rotating presidency of the European Union in 2014.
   
Senators were expected to vote in the early afternoon.
   
Berlusconi pulled out of the ruling alliance last week, after coalition allies refused to block procedures to expel him from parliament due to a tax fraud conviction. He is due to spend one year under house arrest, or doing community service.
   
But as he arrived at the Senate, the former premier hinted that he may backtrack. "Let's see what happens ... let's hear Letta's speech and then we'll decide," Berlusconi said.
   
His latest comments came amid reports that a number of lawmakers belonging to his conservative People of Freedom (PDL) party - led by deputy prime minister and PDL deputy leader Angelino Alfano - had challenged the former premier, announcing that they opposed toppling the government.
   
Letta is about 20 seats short of a majority in the Senate as a result of Berlusconi's defection. But Carlo Giovanardi, a PDL dissenter, has said that as many as 40 senators are ready to break ranks and vote in favour of the government.
   
Paolo Romani, a Berlusconi loyalist countered that they were only "about 12," while the ANSA news agency reported that a pro-government motion had been signed by 23 senators from Berlusconi's side.
   
Letta dismissed the former premier's request to be granted judicial immunity in return for his continued political support.
   
"Under the rule of law, rulings must be enforced and are respected," he said, amid boos from PDL ranks.
   
Pier Ferdinando Casini, leader of a small centrist group attached to former premier Mario Monti, said he was sure that the government would win the vote by a "very ample" margin.
   
Letta took office five months ago at the helm of an awkward coalition comprising his own centre-left Democratic Party (PD), centrists and the PDL.
   
After the vote of confidence, Letta was due to address the Chamber of Deputies, where his government should be able to muster majority even without the support of Berlusconi's side.
   
-Sapa-dpa

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