Italien

[Schneemann]

Italy braced for political uncertainty

ROME, Italy (CNN) -- Italy's president is starting consultations with political leaders to decide if he should call immediate elections or push for a caretaker government after Premier Romano Prodi lost a confidence vote and resigned.

Prodi, in office for 20 months, had only a slim chance of surviving the vote. Observers had said a Senate loss could spell a new period of instability in Italian politics.

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Schneemann.