Posted on 02/26/2013 6:28:16 AM PST by SeekAndFind
European politicians and markets have reacted anxiously after Italy's general election produced a stalemate between centre-right and centre-left blocs.
France and Germany urged continued reform, while Spain described the result as a "jump to nowhere".
Italian markets fell sharply while others in Europe and around the world opened down.
Centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi said fresh elections should be avoided, and called for a period of reflection.
The BBC's Alan Johnston in Rome says he was hinting at the possibility of considering what would be a very awkward alliance with his opponents on the centre-left.
With all domestic votes counted, Pier Luigi Bersani's centre-left bloc won the lower house vote but has failed to secure a majority in the Senate. Control of both houses is needed to govern.
A protest movement led by comedian Beppe Grillo won 25%, but the centrist bloc led by current Prime Minister Mario Monti came a poor fourth, with about 10%.
The outcome of the election, which comes amid a deep recession and tough austerity measures, was so close between the two main blocs that the margin of victory given in interior ministry figures was less than 1% in both houses of parliament.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
I love it when Socialists Shiite in their pants!
It’s probably going to be a few weeks or maybe even over a month of horse trading and if no satisfactory result occurs, another election will loom.
I really pity the Italians when their “conservative” party is the one led by Mr. Bunga Bunga himself — the senior who still acts like a drunken teenager — Silvio Berlusconi.
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