Italian politicians continued to spar over election results yesterday, with Italy stuck in political limbo a week after polls closed in a vote that appeared to give centre-left candidate Romano Prodi a slight edge over Premier Silvio Berlusconi's conservative coalition.

Centre-left members criticized Berlusconi for his refusal to concede defeat and his claims that there had been fraud in the vote, while the prime minister's conservatives repeated that the election was too close to call while magistrates continue to examine contested ballots.

Berlusconi said last week that there had been fraud. The premier quickly backed away from his comments, but he and is allies still maintain the need for thorough checks.

Italians expressed anger at the protracted squabbling and worried it might set back much-needed economic and political reforms.

"This is a dangerous stalemate," said university student Marta Bacigalupi, 23. "There is a complete halt to political activity, which will further delay reforms that need to be implemented."

Bacigalupi blamed the uncertainty on Berlusconi, saying that "he is desperate to win, so he has demanded this recount."

The count of the contested ballots is widely expected to confirm Prodi's victory in the April 9-10 election after the Interior Ministry on Friday reduced the number of such ballots from 80,000 to 5,200. The new figures are not enough for the premier's conservatives to reverse the electoral result.

Once the checks are completed, a top Italian court, the Court of Cassation, must certify the election result before the first meeting of the newly elected parliament, scheduled for April 28.

Source: China Daily