Berlusconi Wins Italy Vote of Confidence - Just !

Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi has won a vote of confidence by a margin of three votes, following a tense session in the lower house of Parliament and amid heavy protests outside in Rome. Mr Berlusconi also won an earlier vote in the Senate. He had urged MPs not to jeopardise the country's stability by ousting him.

Mr Berlusconi, 74, is halfway through a five-year term but his position has been weakened by a series of scandals largely involving his relationships with women. His critics argue the personal scandal surrounding Berlusconi plus the corruption allegations should be enough for him to step down. He has also lost the support of his closest political ally, Gianfranco Fini, along with dozens of his supporters, depriving him of his automatic majority in the lower house. But in the final vote, two opposition deputies switched sides and he won the vote by 314 votes to 311.

Mr Berlusconi's endless lobbying and pressure has paid off. But the margin was very thin - not enough to give him the new mandate he had wanted. That means his immediate political future is secure, but the long-term pressure on him is unlikely to subside, and this crisis will be postponed until the new year.

For more details:  BBC news