30 Apr 2008

Fini elected speaker of Italy's lower house

Former Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini has been elected the new speaker of Italy's lower house of parliament.

The former neo-fascist head of the right-wing National Alliance won 335 of the 611 votes cast in the fourth round of polling Wednesday.

Fini is a longtime ally of Silvio Berlusconi, whose coalition won a clear majority in both houses of parliament in national elections. International Herald Tribune

BBC Profile: Italy's post-fascist hopeful