Berlusconi stays despite tax vote defeat

Article reports that Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his rightwing allies suffered a damaging defeat in parliament on the 3 February 2011 over proposed changes to Italy’s tax system, which opposition leaders said confirmed the sense of a paralysed government undermined by corruption and sex scandals.

ESO: Background information: Bossi sees federal vote as key to new Italy http://www.europeansources.info/record/bossi-sees-federal-vote-as-key-to-new-italy/

Deutsche Welle, 4.2.11: Italian parliament gives Berlusconi symbolic victory in sex scandal http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14816639,00.html

BBC News, 3.2.11: Italian MPs block search request in Berlusconi sex case http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12361443

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