Former leader of the European Union (EU) Romano Prodi, whose center-left coalition won Italy's parliamentary elections Tuesday, said Sunday he was embarking on the future government despite incumbent Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's refusal to concede defeat.

Prodi, former EU Commission president, told reporters outside his home in Bologna, said that it was high time to work for the future government.

"The country needs to breathe, it needs to soar, it needs joy, it needs to recover," the Italian news agency ANSA quoted Prodi as saying.

Prodi's center-left coalition netted a slender 25,000 vote majority in the election, which was just enough to win his coalition a working majority in the 630-seat Lower House of Parliament.

In the Senate, Prodi's coalition also won a razor-thin victory with 158 seats against Berlusconi's 156 seats.

Berlusconi refused to concede defeat on Friday though the Interior Ministry said that the number of disputed election ballots would not be enough to overturn the victory for Prodi.

The supreme court is not expected to issue a final confirmation of Prodi's victory until after the Easter weekend break, when a recount of contested votes demanded by Berlusconi is expected to be finalized.

Source: Xinhua