Italy’s Prime Minister Resigns

Italy’s Premier, Romano Prodi, resigned his post today “after losing a Senate vote on his government’s foreign policy” regarding Italian troop levels in Afghanistan and the expansion of an American military base in Vicenza.

Italian politics are nothing short of bewildering – this is, after all, a country that has had 60 governments since World War II. The position of prime minister comes with a five-year term, but in all that time Silvio Berlusconi is the only one to have made it to the end of a term. Prodi’s resignation doesn’t necessarily mean he’s through in the government, but it’s not looking good for him. One possible scenario includes the return of Berlusconi, who Prodi defeated in last year’s elections. More likely, however, is that the existing parties in power will be given an opportunity to form a new coalition-based government. We’ll have to wait and see what the next few days bring.