World | Franco Marini Italy Headed for Caretaker Government Elder statesman will form interim coalition before elections By Jason Farago Posted Jan 31, 2008 10:33 AM CST Copied Italian premier Romano Prodi, midrow sitting with light-blue tie, looks on amongst government representatives, prior to a confidence vote in the Senate, in Rome, Thursday Jan. 24, 2008. (Associated Press) Italy's president has asked Senate speaker Franco Marini to form an interim government in a last-ditch effort to reform election laws ahead of a snap poll, reports the BBC. Marini was invited to head a temporary administration to change Italy's crippling voting system, which privileges small parties and has led to the unmanageable multi-party coalitions that led to PM Romano Prodi's downfall. Silvio Berlusconi, riding high in the polls, has demanded an immediate election, but Italian political observers say a caretaker government is a near certainty. "Marini will have a narrow majority in the Senate, but you can't have elections with the current system," one political scientist told Bloomberg. The 74-year-old Marini is a former labor union leader. Read These Next US deports more than 100 Iranians. Tossed beers, hostile fans take the spotlight at Ryder Cup. North Carolina shooting suspect once walked the red carpet. Skydivers leap from plane 2 minutes before fatal crash. Report an error