President Napolitano attempts to keep Italy away from new election

Italy's president, Giorgio Napolitano, began talks on the 29 September 2013 to pull the country out of a new political crisis, attempting to undercut a move by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to bring down the government and force new elections seven months after the last vote.

In the meantime, Italian Premier Enrico Letta said he would seek a parliamentary vote of confidence on the 2 October 2013. Letta's junior coalition partners from the People of Freedom Party were threatening to quit goverment if leader Silvio Berlusconi was barred from parliament.

However, on the 1 October 2013 leading figures in Silvio Berlusconi's own party defied him by calling on MPs to back the Italian coalition government in the confidence vote. This included Angelino Alfano, Berlusconi's deputy and secretary of People of Freedom.

• Primary Source

EUObserver, 30.09.13: Markets nervous as Italian government nears collapse http://euobserver.com/economic/121609

BBC News, 30.09.13: Italy crisis: PM Letta battles for parliament support http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24326423

Deutsche Welle, 29.09.13: Italian Prime Minister Letta to call vote of confidence http://dw.de/p/19qLb

ESO: Background Information: Italian cabinet in danger over Berlusconi’s possible eviction from Senate http://www.europeansources.info/record/italian-cabinet-in-danger-over-berlusconis-possible-eviction-from-senate/

Deutsche Welle, 30.09.13: Italian government suffers downfall Berlusconi-style http://dw.de/p/19qLU

Spiegel Online International, 30.09.13: Chaos in Rome: Berlusconi Tricks Spark Fear in Europe http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/rome-government-could-collapse-as-berlusconi-ministers-resign-a-925385.html

Spiegel Online International, 30.09.13: The Hostage-Taker: Berlusconi Pushes Italy to Brink http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/berlusconi-could-push-italy-and-europe-into-disaster-a-925388.html

BBC News, 01.10.13: Close Berlusconi allies defy him over confidence vote http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24355386

Euro|Topics, 30.09.13: Berlusconi sparks government crisis http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/aeltere/NEWSLETTER-2013-09-30-Berlusconi-sparks-government-crisis

Corriere della Sera / La Stampa / Il Giornale / La Repubblica, 30.09.13: Berlusconi ‘propels us towards chaos’ (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/press-review/4188211-berlusconi-propels-us-towards-chaos

Corriere della Sera, 30.09.13: Napolitano's Recipe to Avert Crisis - Confidence Vote and Support till 2015 http://www.corriere.it/english/13_settembre_30/napolitano_6899e218-29c7-11e3-ab32-51c2dea60815.shtml

Deutsche Welle, 01.10.13: Berlusconi faces party dissent in bid to bring down Letta government http://dw.de/p/19sWF

France24, 01.10.13: Allies desert Berlusconi in his bid to bring down govt http://www.france24.com/en/20131001-allies-lawmakers-desert-berlusconi-bid-collapse-government-letta

Corriere della Sera, 02.10.13: Alfano defies Berlusconi, reckoning in the PDL (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/news-brief/4193521-alfano-defies-berlusconi-reckoning-pdl

EurActiv, 02.10.13: Italy's government faces confidence vote as support for Berlusconi frays http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/italys-government-faces-confiden-news-530815

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 30.09.13: Following the resignation of Silvio Berlusconi’s ministers, Italy is once again heading for new elections http://bit.ly/1fCy5jP

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