Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Berlusconi backs down on key measure
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
Berlusconi backs down on key measure
AFP - Sunday, September 5
Send
IM Story
Print
Berlusconi backs down on key measure
ROME (AFP) - – Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi backed down Saturday on planned new legislation seen by critics as aimed at getting him off a legal hook, in a new gesture to rebel lawmakers.
In a video message to his supporters, Berlusconi said the measure would no longer feature in the government's programme which is to be put to a vote of confidence in parliament later this month.
The judicial reform, said to be aimed at unclogging the Italian justice system, would quash any legal case that is not concluded six years after its launching, including a number which concern Berlusconi himself.
Berlusconi, 73, lost his once-comfortable parliamentary majority in July when lower house speaker Gianfranco Fini quit the People of Freedom party they co-founded, ending a 16-year alliance.
Fini's supporters set up breakaway parliamentary groups of 33 deputies and 10 senators and on Sunday he is to make a keynote speech expected to announce his future plans, possibly by creating a new party.
Fini and Berlusconi have been at odds since a public spat in April, largely over the planned legislation that would help Berlusconi avoid prosecution on corruption and tax fraud charges.
The rest of the programme to be put to a vote of confidence includes tax reforms, federalism, aid to the poorer south of Italy and new measures to curb crime and illegal immigration.
If the vote brings down the government, President Giorgio Napolitano will poll parliamentary group leaders on the possibility of forming a transitional government, failing which he will dissolve parliament and call elections.
Berlusconi, 73, handily won elections in 2008, becoming prime minister for the third time since 1994.
His main ally is the right-wing Northern League, which has pressed for early elections since the crisis within Berlusconi's party.
But Northern League leader Umberto Bossi said after talks with the prime minister last month that the government would go ahead with its legislative programme and there would be "no elections for the moment."
Before the meeting, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni of the Northern League said he was not hopeful of reaching an agreement with the rebels.
Recommend
Send
IM Story
Print
Related Articles
Earl loses tropical storm status after soaking Canada AFP - 32 minutes ago
UK-World Summary Reuters - 1 hour 15 minutes ago
Busted BP well no longer 'threat' to Gulf AFP - 2 hours 1 minute ago
Suicide bomber kills five in southern Russia Reuters - 2 hours 35 minutes ago
Moldova referendum aims to break political impasse AFP - Sunday, September 5
News Search
Top Stories
A month on, Chile miners face uncertain rescue date
Sharapova, Federer battle on in US tennis Open
EU deal to curb speculative trading close: commissioner
EU decision on support for banks due November: commissioner
Afghans crowd scandal-hit bank to withdraw savings
More Top Stories »
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Popular
Most Viewed
Most Recommended
Zeta-Jones 'furious' at late cancer diagnosis for Douglas
BP spill costs hit 8 bln dlrs as crews unearth clues
Afghans crowd scandal-hit bank to withdraw savings
Israeli researchers develop promising new HIV treatment
'Prostitute' Carla Bruni deserves death: Iran media
More Most Viewed »
Earth's upper atmosphere shrinking, scientists say
Tiger's ex breaks her silence on sex scandal
Most US students think Beethoven is a dog
Unchecked migration would see Singapore swell, Haiti halve
More Most Recommended »
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
Stars and latest movies
Best travel destinations
More on Yahoo! News
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
Also on Yahoo!
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
Site Highlights
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
Other News on Sunday, 5 September 2010 France protests against security crackdown
Texas probing Google over search results
EU deal to curb speculative trading close: commissioner
Protestors in Ireland pelt Blair at book signing
Blair pelted with eggs at Dublin book signing
|
Pakistan try to focus after police grill trio
EU decision on support for banks due November: commissioner
Most Greeks want government reshuffle amid crisis
|
Earl socks Canada's Nova Scotia, weakens to tropical storm
Hurricane Earl makes landfall in Canada
Muslims take to Minn. State Fair to repair image
Amnesty calls for India Maoists to free police
Japan beat Paraguay to avenge World Cup defeat
Craigslist.com blocks access to adult services ads
|
Scorsese film defends anti-communist informer Kazan
India's Tata Steel may seek $5.4-bln loan: report
Afghans crowd scandal-hit bank to withdraw savings
India clears plane order for low-cost carriers
FACTBOX-Key political risks to watch in New Zealand
Vietnam arrests 4 more executives of shipbuilder
U.S. comedian Robert Schimmel dies after car accident
|
Taliban death threats hang over Afghan elections
Gales, aftershocks shake quake hit New Zealand city
|
Berlusconi backs down on key measure
US-TECH Summary
US likely to keep troops in Iraq after 2011
Suicide bomber kills five in southern Russia
|
'Relief' as Wilders-backed Dutch coalition fails
Sharapova, Federer battle on in US tennis Open
Craigslist.com blocks access to adult services ads
Gaza rocket fire draws Israeli air strikes
Thousands protest French clampdown against Roma
|
Craigslist 'censors' adult services listings in US
Torrential rains kill 18 in Guatemala
|
Six killed in Darfur camp shootout
Over one million join Apple's music social network Ping
Afghans continue pulling money from troubled bank
Belgium back in crisis as mediator quits
|
Possible talks with Afghan insurgents draw closer
Craiglist Blocks U.S. Access To Controversial Adult Ads
Two die in mid-air light aircraft collision in UK
|
Gales, aftershocks shake quake hit New Zealand city
Abbott makes plea in Australia political impasse
Earl loses tropical storm status after soaking Canada
Typhoon delays US-S.Korea naval exercise
For US Muslims, a 9/11 anniversary like no other
Thousands of Japanese schools serving whale meat
JetBlue: Flight attendant's big exit was for good
Cholera outbreak 'covered up' in China
Thai villagers voice health fears over pollution
Deneuve, Depardieu at Venice filmfest
Indonesian fashion scores Ramadan hit
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
New Zealand tourist plane crash dead identified
U.S. comedian Robert Schimmel dies after car accident
Builders race to finish first S.Korea F1 track
N.Zealand braces for more destruction after quake
Booming China auto industry faces over-capacity
iPhone 4 sales in S.Korea start this week
Suzuki to build new auto plant in India
Twelve killed in suicide assault on Iraq army base
ETA declares ceasefire in struggle with Spain
Basque separatists ETA halting armed attacks
|
Mideast talks to resume in Egyptian Red Sea resort
Five killed, scores hurt in Dagestan suicide bombing
Bangladesh issues red alert over spread of anthrax
|
A month on, Chile miners face uncertain rescue date
Basque separatists ETA declare ceasefire: BBC
Twelve killed in suicide assault on Iraq army base
|
Suicide attack kills 12 at Baghdad army complex
Israel's Barak to make 24-hour visit to Russia
Taliban vow to disrupt Afghanistan election
|
New Farmlands Driving Out Forests Causes Climate Change Study Says
Troubled Afghan bank faces further day of queues
Philippine police chief takes blame for bus hijack
|
NATO service member killed in Afghan fighting
Mideast talks to resume in Egyptian Red Sea resort
|
Moldova holds referendum on presidential vote
|
Fresh 'fixing' claims cloud Pakistan-England match
Nepal's parliament again fails to elect new PM
Afghan governor says kidnapped Japan journalist freed
Philippines needs more time for deadly bus hijack probe
Philippine police chief takes blame for bus hijack
Bangladesh dams to reclaim 600 square kms of land
Floodwaters sweep towards another Pakistani town
Three Abu Sayyaf militants killed in Philippines: police
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights