Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta Calls for Vote of confidence Sunday Sep 29,2013

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta,after only five months in power, called on Sunday for a vote of confidence to take place on Wednesday  Oct 2,2013 after his party’s relations with former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s party sank to a new low(Enrico Letta was sworn in as PM on April 28,2013)

The crisis follows weeks of strife between Berlusconi’s party and Letta’s Democratic Party (PD) culminating on Saturday Sep 28,2013 when five cabinet ministers from Berlusconi’s People of Freedom (PDL) party said they would quit, potentially causing the collapse of Letta’s Grand Coalition Govt.

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta and President Giorgio Napolitano met on Sunday Sep 29,2013 evening to consult over the next steps, agreeing that the parliament should decide the political future of Italy

Enrico Letta announced the vote of confidence, saying: “We have assessed a very complicated and complex situation and have decided to go to parliament as soon as possible. I do not intend to govern at any price''

Italian Parliament
Chamber of Deputies -630 Members
Senate                       -315 Members

Political Parties Position in the Italian Parliament following Feb 2013 General Election
Chamber of Deputies

Centre-Left Coalition     - 340 seats
Centre-Right Coalition   - 124 seats
Five Star Movement      - 108 seats
Others                           -   45seats
Total                              - 617 seats
Senate
Centre-Left Coalition     - 113 seats
Centre-Right Coalition   - 116 seats
Five Star Movement      -   54 seats
Others                           -   18 seats
Total                              - 301 seats


Italian PM Enrico Letta Wins Confidence Vote Wed Oct 2,2013

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta has won a confidence vote after a last-minute U-turn by former PM Silvio Berlusconi.who had initially promised to topple the govt by withdrawing his party's support - a move which prompted the Senate vote

But he backed down when it became clear that several of his senators would back the govt.

The Senate voted 235 to 70 in favour of the government.