Berlusconi Doesn't Concede Defeat Despite Court Ruling

NYT: Italy's highest court upheld today the narrow victory of Romano Prodi to become the next prime minister, but there were signs that Silvio Berlusconi, the current prime minister, would still not concede defeat.

Mr. Berlusconi made no public comment the immediate hours after the Court of Cassazione released its final count of last week's bitterly contested elections at 6 p.m. local time. But several of Mr. Berlusconi's aides suggested that the court's decision was not good enough, as some critics wondered if Italy's political crisis was worsening from stalemate to hostile takeover bid.

"We acknowledge the decision," said Sandro Bondi, national coordinator for Mr. Berlusconi's Forza Italia Party. But, he said, "the reservations we advanced continue to stand." Read more