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Italy's political crisis talks to end on Tuesday

ROME
Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:35am EST

ROME (Reuters) - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano will begin crisis talks with political leaders on Friday and conclude them next Tuesday, following the resignation of Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

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The Quirinale presidential palace said in a statement the talks would begin on Friday at 5 p.m. (11 a.m. EST), starting with Senate President Franco Marini, tipped as a possible candidate to lead an interim government.

Prodi resigned on Thursday after losing a confidence vote in the Senate, just 20 months after he took power.

Here are some of the meetings scheduled, which are usually followed by statements from political leaders about their views on the crisis:

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25

* 5 p.m. (11 a.m. EST) - Franco Marini, senate president

* 5:45 pm (11:45 a.m. EST) - Fausto Bertinotti, speaker of the lower house of parliament

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26

10:40 (4:40 a.m. EST) - Lawmakers from Udeur, the Catholic party whose defection from Prodi's coalition triggered the crisis

12 p.m. (6 a.m. EST) - Italian Communist party lawmakers, allies of Prodi who constantly undermined his government

MONDAY, JANUARY 28

9 a.m. (3 a.m. EST) - Northern League party lawmakers, allies of centre-right leader Silvio Berlusconi

10 a.m. (4 a.m. EST) - UDC party lawmakers, estranged allies of Berlusconi

11 a.m. (5 a.m. EST) - Communist Refoundation lawmakers, Prodi allies who also undermined his government

12 a.m. (6 a.m. EST) - National Alliance party lawmakers, who have pledged to support Berlusconi in a new election

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29

10:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m. EST) - Lawmakers from Berlusconi's own conservative Forza Italia, Italy's largest single party

11:30 a.m. (5:30 a.m. EST) - Lawmakers from the Democratic Party, presided by Prodi, which dominates the centre left

5:30 p.m. (11:30 a.m. EST) - ex-president Francesco Cossiga

6 p.m. (12 p.m. EST) - ex-president Oscar Luigi Scalfaro

6:30 p.m. (12:30 p.m. EST) - ex-president Carlo Azelgio Ciampi
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