Prodi’s fate rests on choice of Senate speaker

The outgoing government of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi wants Giulio Andreotti, a former premier, to be the next speaker of the Senate, in preference to Franco Marini, the candidate of incoming Prime Minister Romano Prodi. Mr Andreotti is 87 years old, one of seven 'senators for life', and once stood trial for alleged collusion with the Mafia. A vote in favour of Mr Andreotti could be problematic for Mr Prodi as he would not have a majority in one of the two legislative chambers.