Italy political crisis unresolved

Silvio Berlusconi is the longest-serving premier in post-war Italy

Italy's government remained mired in crisis on Monday as Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi tendered the resignation of four cabinet ministers.

The government was plunged into crisis on Friday when a key ally said it would pull out of his coalition government.

After emergency talks it remained unclear if any deal to repair the fractured coalition had been reached.

Mr Berlusconi denied reports he was about to resign, a move widely expected ahead of the creation of a new cabinet.

He said he would clarify the situation when he addresses parliament, as requested by Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi following a meeting.

"We will see how parliament reacts," he told reporters in Rome.

Crushing defeat

Earlier, Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini said a deal had been struck to form a new coalition government and that Mr Berlusconi was on the verge of tendering his resignation.

But after the meeting with Mr Ciampi, Mr Berlusconi denied that he had resigned.

With his behaviour, the premier is making a mockery of his coalition, the institutions and the whole country at once Piero Fassino Italian opposition leader

The crisis was sparked by a crushing defeat for Mr Berlusconi's Forza Italia (Go Italy) party in recent regional elections.

A key coalition partner, the Union of Christian Democrats (UDC), pulled out of the coalition after Mr Berlusconi refused to make major policy changes following the losses.

The Christian Democrats had four ministers in the cabinet, including deputy prime minister, Marco Follini.

Forza Italia had indicated on Sunday that if the UDC refused to rejoin the coalition it would call an early general election.

Elections are not currently due until 2006.

The centre-left opposition condemned the crisis saying that it had become an "indecent farce."

"With his behaviour, the premier is making a mockery of his coalition, the institutions and the whole country at once," said Piero Fassino, leader of the Democratic Party of the Left.

The regional elections saw the opposition win 11 of the 13 regions up for re-election and around 54% of the vote.

Popular opposition to Italy's role in the war in Iraq and a struggling economy have contributed to a decline in Mr Berlusconi's popularity.