PERUGIA, Italy -- Following a humbling defeat in a foreign policy vote in the Senate, Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned Wednesday evening. After weathering a nine-month political storm with an extremely narrow Senate majority, the government was beaten on its strongest suit. "Foreign policy was one of the few things that were working," commented foreign minister Massimo D'Alema, who, boasting a 62 percent approval rating, is the most popular member of the frail Prodi government. Prodi's government coalition, L'Unione, failed to obtain the majority in a vote aimed at legitimizing the government's foreign policy ahead of the crucial Feb. 26 vote to refinance the Italian mission to Afghanistan. Two senators affiliated with the two communist parties in the coalition abstained from the vote on ethical grounds, placing the Senate majority of 160 out of the government's reach.
Italy’s Prodi Resigns After Foreign Policy Challenge From Left
