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BBCNewswithIainPurdon
TheoutgoingItalianPrimeMinisterMarioMonti, appointedlastyeartopreventItalycomingtotheEurozonedebtcrisiswillheadanallianceofcentristpartiesinthecountry'supcomingelections. Atanewsconference, MrMontisaidhewouldpreparetoleadacoalitionsupportinghisreformagenda. DavidWilleyreportsfromRome.
MrMontiwhoresignedearlierthismonthafter 13 monthsinoffice, asheadofthegovernmentoftechnocratshasnowclearlythrownhisheadintothepoliticalringinthegeneralelectionduetobeheldattheendofFebruary. AftertalkswithleadersoftheCenterparties, Italy'sformerEuropeancommissionermadeitclearthathewillseekasecondterm. Theelectionwillbeathree-wayracebetweentheDemocraticParty, leadingthepollsatthemoment, SilvioBerlusconi'sFreedomPartywhichistrailingforotherhand, andMrMonti'scentergroupingwhichobserverssaycouldattractupto 15% ofthevote.
PresidentObamahasbegunmeetingCongressionalleadersattheWhiteHousetotrytoreachalastminutedealtopreventtheUSfallingoffwhat'sbeendubbedthefiscalcliff. Butthereisgrowingdoubtsthatthetriggerforhundredsofbillionsofdollarsinautomatictaxrisesandspendingcutscanbeavoidedbeforethedeadlineofnewyear'sday. FromWashingtonhere'sisZoeConway.
ThereisincreasingpessimisminWashingtonthattheAmericancanbesafedfromgoingoverthefiscalcliff. ManypeoplebelievedthatDemocratsandRepublicansaretoofarapartontaxesandspendingtoreachadeal. Andthereisconcernthatapparentlackofurgency. TheHouseoftheRepresentativesisnotbackingsessionuntilSundaynight. Thesenateisopenforbusinessbutit'snotdebatingthefiscalcliff.