Rome - Mr Massimo D'Alema yesterday persuaded key parliamentarians from left and right to commit themselves to support his plan for a new government and resolve Italy's political crisis.
Mr d'Alema reported to the President that he had majority backing in parliament and could form a government. He was then formally appointed Prime Minister and will be the first excommunist to head a government in western Europe.
He asked his diverse partners to sign a blueprint for his proposed government, prefaced with a paragraph stressing that Italy should maintain a stable government as it prepares to join the single European currency on January 1st.