Italian elections - Prodi wins

8.16.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 11th Apr 2006

Romano Prodi

The Italians voted in their General Election, it was very close, it was very difficult to get any information but Prodi and his Centre-left coalition has won control of both Houses. Current Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has not conceded and is demanding a recount. The results appear to show Prodi with 49.8% of the vote compared with 49.7% for Mr Berlusconi's centre-right coalition - a margin of some 25,000 votes amongst an electorate of 47 million.

In one of his first statements Prodi has committed to withdrawing Italian troops from Iraq.