PRODI MIGHT NOT STAY IN OFFICE MUCH LONGER

It looks like my discovery that Romano Prodi's time as Italy's prime minister was done was a little premature. He's managed to win a confidence vote for now, but with the way he lucked out recently, chances are that he still may not be able to survive much longer.

Former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, the media tycoon who narrowly lost last year's election, has forecast Prodi will not last long in power. A poll this week showed 40 per cent of Italians agreed, predicting his government would last just a few more months.

I think that's right, and there'll be quite a few issues that his coalition won't agree with him upon. So, it's possible that pretty soon, he'll be out of office altogether.