Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi has won a first vote of confidence in the lower chamber of parliament.
The government won the Chamber of Deputies by 326 votes against 275.
But all eyes are on the Senate, where the loss of a small allied party has cost Mr Italian PM faces early poll call ...
Italy's ruling coalition weakened ...
Czech Senate proposes legislators' immunity from arrest ... Prodi his majority. A vote there has been set for Thursday.
Mr Prodi has been urged to resign before then, correspondents say. Earlier, the president advised him not to submit himself to a Senate vote.
The crisis was sparked by the withdrawal on Monday of the centrist Udeur party from Mr Prodi's ruling coalition, costing the prime minister his Senate majority of one.
Udeur party leader and former justice minister, Clemente Mastella, pulled out after being forced to quit last week following his implication in a corruption inquiry.
Three other senators, including the former Prime Minister, Lamberto Dini, urged Mr Prodi to quit on Wednesday to avoid holding the Senate vote.
(BBC)
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