Yesterday, in addition to the confirmtion of Fausto Bertinotti as President or speaker of the Camera dei deputati, 73-year-old ex-Christian Democrat trade unionist Franco Marini was confirmed as President of the Italian Senate at the third round of voting, with 165 votes going to Marini as against 156 for his last-minute rival 87-year-old Giulio Andreotti.

This means that Prodi's center-left coalition was able to maintain strict voting discipline and hang onto its tiny majority in the Senate, at least this time around. Speculation suggests that most of the life senators ("senatori a vita"), made up of a couple of ex-Presidents of the republic and other distinguished Italians, including the dean of the Senate 93-year-old scientist Rita Levi Montalcini, voted for the "younger" candidate.

In addition, the first-time contingent of representives of Italians living abroad was also reputed to be about to give its vote to Marini. Berlusconi's former Minister for Italians Abroad Mirko Tremaglia is still trying to change the result his new law unexpectedly produced, alleging a complete foul-up in administering the law he was supposed to oversee.

I don't know with what authority, but I heard a rumor last week according to which disgruntled leader and ex-Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is planning to run for mayor of Naples. If he does, with his billions he can easily repeat the ploy of fabled mayor, shipping magnate Achille Lauro, who, legend has it, used to distribute a left shoe or a right shoe to potential supporters with the promise of completing the pair if they voted for him and he won the election!