Berlusconi pleas fail to impress markets / Berlusconi survives confidence vote

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's teetering government was expected to narrowly survive a confidence vote on the 14 October 2011, its 51st since a 2008 general election, despite mounting dissent and intense international scrutiny of its economic policies.

In the event, the centre-right coalition survived the vote of confidence but its slim margin of victory left persistent doubts over its ability to govern effectively and raised expectations of elections in early 2012, a year ahead of schedule.

ESO: Background information: Berlusconi resists pressure to resign http://www.europeansources.info/record/berlusconi-resists-pressure-to-resign/

France24, 14.10.11: Berlusconi survives 51st confidence vote http://www.france24.com/en/20111014-italy-berlusconi-faces-confidence-vote-parliament-financial-crisis

BBC News, 14.10.11: Italy PM Silvio Berlusconi wins confidence vote http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15302695

Corriere della Sera, 12.10.11: Confidence Vote Looms as Government Defeat Poses Legal Quandary http://www.corriere.it/english/11_ottobre_12/government-defeat_59dd6f84-f4da-11e0-a9a5-9e683f522ea7.shtml

Corriere della Sera, 13.10.11: Majority Claims 315 Votes Guaranteed, 320 Achievable http://www.corriere.it/english/11_ottobre_13/majority-claims_777c90b8-f581-11e0-9479-439a0eb41067.shtml

Deutsche Bank Research: Talking Point, October 2011: Italy 2020: Debt reduction is the order of the day http://www.dbresearch.de/PROD/DBR_INTERNET_EN-PROD/PROD0000000000279510/Italy+2020%3A+Debt+reduction+is+the+order+of+the+day.PDF

EUObserver, 14.10.11: Berlusconi faces make-or-break confidence vote http://euobserver.com/19/113940

Deutsche Welle, 14.10.11: Berlusconi narrowly survives crucial confidence vote http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15460224,00.html

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