Italian Politics

Whoa! I didn't know Italy had it like this! I'm not sure I am understanding how this works!

"Premier Silvio Berlusconi, expected to resign and form a new government to strengthen his conservative coalition, said after meeting Italy's president Monday that he had not stepped down, news agencies reported.

After an earlier emergency meeting of coalition leaders in Rome, Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini told reporters that Berlusconi would resign, ending Italy's longest-serving postwar government.

But when asked by reporters if he had handed in his resignation to President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, Berlusconi responded, 'No,' the ANSA news agency reported. Berlusconi was quoted as saying he would explain the situation in parliament, but it was unclear when he would do so.

Berlusconi had been under pressure from his allies to resign since the coalition lost 11 of the 13 regions that were up for grabs in elections earlier this month.

Last week, a key centrist party headed by Deputy Premier Marco Follini pulled its ministers out of the Cabinet and demanded that Berlusconi form a fresh government with a new platform."

Huh?