2006年VOA标准英语-Prodi Claims Electoral Victory in Italy, b

By Sabina Castelfranco
Rome
11 April 2006

Official results in the Italian general election show center-left challenger Romano Prodi won enough seats in both houses of parliament to form a government. But Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi refused to concede defeat, citing irregularities.

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Silvio Berlusconi gestures during press conference at Chigi palace in Rome, April 11, 2006   
  

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said his center-left challenger Romano Prodi was irresponsible in claiming victory in the Italian elections before a full count of the votes.

Prodi said he had won the poll earlier Tuesday before final figures were in for the upper house, and announced his coalition¹ could govern for five years.

"Our government will be politically and technically² strong and it will be the government of all Italians," Prodi said. He added that his government would also be for Italians who did not vote for his coalition.

The former European Commission president also said his government would put Europe at the center of its policies.

Prodi, who strongly opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq, said he supports what he called "constructive³ relations with the United States." Prime Minister Berlusconi has been a strong supporter of the Iraq war and, following the ouster of Saddam Hussein, sent 3,000 troops to Iraq.

Romano Prodi flashes victory sign at end of press conference at his party headquarters in Rome, April 11, 2006   
  
Prodi said, after a divisive campaign, it was time for Italians to come together.

"Today we turn a page," Prodi said. "We leave behind the sourness of a long and difficult electoral campaign. We need to start immediately to repair the tears that were produced in the country."

On Tuesday evening, the Interior Ministry⁴ showed Prodi's center-left bloc⁵ winning a majority in both houses of parliament. But Mr. Berlusconi refused to concede defeat.

He said there are many irregularities in the vote count from Italians living abroad, which need checking.

"We do not think that anybody today can claim victory with figures which are still very, very obscure," Berlusconi said. "He said he will recognize the political victory of the opposing coalition once the needed legal checks have been made. 

Silvio Berlusconi, right, and Romano Prodi shake hands prior to start of prime-time debate, April 3, 2006  
  
Mr. Berlusconi suggested that Italy could follow Germany's example and create a grand coalition of left and right if final results show neither side is in control of both houses of parliament. But Prodi dismissed the suggestion that he needed help from the center-right to govern and called Berlusconi's refusal to concede "out of line."

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

3 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。