Prodi's Coalition Clears First Senate Hurdle

The centre-left coalition of the Italian prime-minister-in waiting, Romano Prodi, won its first parliamentary test today.

Mr Prodi's candidate for the important role of speaker of the senate has been elected, Italian media reported, citing a preliminary count of the vote.

The vote was particularly important because a victory for the outgoing prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's rival candidate could have triggered a new general election.

Mr Berlusconi is still refusing to give up his job as prime minister a fortnight after Mr Prodi won the general election with a razor thin majority.

Mr Prodi's candidate for speaker in the upper house, Franco Marini, won position with an absolute majority of at least 162 votes in the 322-seat house, Italian media said.

The reports said Mr Marini had defeated the centre-right's main candidate, the 87-year-old former prime minister Giulio Andreotti.

Until a few years ago, Mr Andreotti was battling charges of murder and mafia involvement. His alleged involvement in a string of shadowy conspiracies earned him the nickname Beelzebub.