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Berlusconi resigns

Silvio Berlusconi

ROME: Premier Silvio Berlusconi resigned on Tuesday, paving the way for a centre-left government led by Romano Prodi after weeks of refusing to acknowledge the outcome of last month's elections. During the 30-minute meeting at the Quirinale Palace, President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi asked Mr. Berlusconi to remain temporarily as caretaker Prime Minister, the President's Office said in a statement. After the meeting, Mr. Berlusconi returned to his private residence and told about 20 flag-waving supporters of his Forza Italia party that ``everything is fine.'' He refused to make any other comment. Mr. Berlusconi, the conservative billionaire media mogul who was elected in 2001, has been the longest-serving Premier in postwar Italy. He had steadily refused to concede defeat since the April 9-10 elections.

AP

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