Italy crisis: PM Letta wins vote after Berlusconi U-turn

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta won a confidence vote in the Italian parliament on the 2 October 2013 after a last-minute U-turn by former PM Silvio Berlusconi. The former Prime Minister had threatened to bring down the current government by insisting members of his Party of Freedom (PDL) withdraw from the coalition government.

Commentators said that the U-Turn was a humiliating defeat for Mr Berlusconi who had dominated the Italian political landscape for two decades.

• Primary Source

Deutsche Welle, 02..10.13: Italian government survives confidence vote http://dw.de/p/19sbR

ESO: Background information: President Napolitano attempts to keep Italy away from new election http://www.europeansources.info/record/president-napolitano-attempts-to-keep-italy-away-from-new-election/

The Guardian, 02.10.13: Silvio Berlusconi U-turn keeps Italy's grand coalition afloat http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/02/silvio-berlusconi-u-turn-italy-coalition-letta

Reuters, 02.10.13: Berlusconi U-turn secures Italian government's survival http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/10/02/italy-politics-idUSL6N0HS1HF20131002

EUObserver, 02.10.13: Italian government survives after Berlusconi u-turn http://euobserver.com/political/121642

EurActiv, 03.10.13: Italian government survives after weakened Berlusconi U-turns http://www.euractiv.com/global-europe/italian-government-survives-weak-news-530845

Deutsche Welle, 03.10.13: Italy's Letta praised after Berlusconi U-turn http://dw.de/p/19t5Z

Deutsche Welle, 02.10.13: Italy is safe - for now http://dw.de/p/19t3W

La Stampa, 03.10.13: The twilight of Il Cavaliere (via PressEurop) http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/4198551-twilight-il-cavaliere

Spiegel Online International, 02.10.13: Berlusconi's About-Face: A Vote of Confidence Will Not Suffice http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/letta-receives-vote-of-confidence-despite-berlusconi-machinations-a-925875.html

France24, 02.10.13: Italian PM Enrico Letta wins Senate confidence vote http://www.france24.com/en/20131002-italian-pm-enrico-letta-survives-senate-confidence-vote

LSE EuroppBlog, 07.10.13: Berlusconi’s surrender over Enrico Letta’s confidence vote could spell the end of an era in Italian politics http://bit.ly/18JQQvC

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