ROME, February 6 (RIA Novosti) - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano dissolved parliament on Wednesday, paving the way for snap elections, in an attempt to end a political crisis that has paralyzed the legislature.
Italy's Cabinet decided at an emergency meeting to call a general election for April 13-14.
The current crisis was sparked by center-left former prime minister Romano Prodi's resignation almost two weeks ago, after he lost a no-confidence vote in the Senate.
The Senate speaker, Franco Marini, subsequently informed the president that he had been unable to secure enough support to form an interim government.
Prodi will continue as caretaker prime minister until the elections. He said he would not run in the new elections, but would be endorsing the Democratic Party.
Analysts say the main center-right opposition leader and former premier, Silvio Berlusconi, will probably have enough support to return to office.
