ITALY: Former Italian prime minister Romano Prodi hands over reins of power to Silvio Berlusconi

Record ID: 762935

  • Title: ITALY: Former Italian prime minister Romano Prodi hands over reins of power to Silvio Berlusconi
  • Date: 9th May 2008
  • Summary: HALL OF BELL CEREMONY WITH PEOPLE WAITING MAN WITH WHITE GLOVES HOLDING SIVER PLATE WITH BELL ON IT ITALY'S PRIME MINISTER SILVIO BERLUSCONI AND FORMER PRIME MINISTER ROMANO PRODI ENTERING ROOM TOGETHER PHOTOGRAPHER PRODI HANDING BELL OVER TO BERLUSCONI BERLUSCONI HOLDING BELL IN HIS HANDS PRODI AND BERLUSCONI POSING FOR MEDIA PRODI LEAVING CLOSE UP OF BERLUSCONI BERLUSCONI LEAVING ROOM IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION FROM PRODI
  • Embargoed: 24th May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Reuters ID: LVAEMSRW6E4TQK0Z2UNAD0OTBS8Z
  • Story Text: Italy's former prime minister Romano Prodi has officially handed over the role of prime minister to Silvio Berlusconi.
    Former Italian prime minister Romano Prodi has officially handed over the control of Italy's 62nd government since World War II to Silvio Berlusconi.
    In a traditional ceremony at the prime minister's office, Prodi handed over a bell to the newly sworn-in prime minister Berlusconi, who rang it gleefully signalling the change of administration.
    It is a ceremony the two have had some practise with as it is was with reversed roles that Berlusconi handed the bell to Prodi when he took power in 2006.
    Third time prime minister Berlusconi then sat with his new cabinet ministers for their first meeting since taking power.
    His cabinet is stacked with right-wing allies from the National Alliance (AN), a party with fascist roots, and the vehemently anti-immigrant Northern League -- a combination that assures a tougher immigration policy and a hardline on security.
    A vote of confidence in the upper and lower houses of Italy's parliament will take place next week to approve the new government.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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