国际英语新闻：Italian PM: Early vote better than ailing "double Berlusconi" gov't

ROME, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Wednesday said an early vote was better than the opening of a political crisis which would lead to a "double Berlusconi government."

Were he to lose the vote of confidence he will present to parliament on Dec. 14, Berlusconi said he was ready to resign rather than formally open a political crisis, state television Rai reported.

"Opening a crisis is a danger that would lead to a paralysis. It would be extremely irresponsible to put under crisis a government which until recently was the most solid and favored in Europe,"he stressed, explaining that a crisis would jeopardize Italy's financial credibility on world markets as regarding treasury bonds collocation and public debt solvability.

"I have been working so much at a European Union level for the benefit of this country," he complained, adding however that he was confident to win the confidence motion vote.

Berlusconi thus turned-down the option of a government reshuffle to lead the country up to 2013, when the current legislature is set to expire.

"I don't think it's possible," he said."Italy needs a stable government and we cannot rely on those who cannot guarantee loyalty to the program voted by the Italian people."

The withdrawal on Monday of the premier's former allies' new Future and Freedom Party led by the House Speaker Gianfranco Fini has accelerated the government's downfall and triggered a parliamentary turmoil.

Berlusconi on Wednesday appealed to his "sense of responsibility" in wanting to avoid a government restyling which would inevitably prolong his agony and preferring to such scenario an early vote.

His words stand as an indirect reply to President Giorgio Napolitano, who on Tuesday urged parliament to first concentrate on more important deadlines, including the 2011 budget plan approval, and then move on to examining the political situation.

But the government is already falling apart. The House will vote a motion of non-confidence against Cultural Minister Sandro Bondi on Nov. 29, proposed by the opposition parties for the Pompeii ruins'collapse occurred last week.