Thursday February 22, 3:45 AM
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Italy's Prodi tenders resignation after vote loss*
Italy's Prime Minister Romano Prodi offered his resignation to President
Giorgio Napolitano after his government lost a key foreign policy vote
in parliament.
The president "reserves his decision" on Prodi's move, a statement from
his office said, and asked his centre-left coalition to remain in
government for the time being to avoid a political vacuum.
Meanwhile, Napolitano would begin a round of consultations with the
leaders of Italian political parties on Thursday morning aimed at
finding a political consensus, the statement added.
Consultations would begin at 10:00 am (0900 GMT), the statement said.
Prodi resigned after his centre-left government failed to get a vote of
support in parliament on his foreign policy.