ROME: Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi on Wednesday survived a Senate vote of confidence in his centre-left government by 162 to 157, Speaker Franco Marini announced.

Two senators whose votes were uncertain ahead of the balloting — independent Luigi Pollaro and opposition centrist Marco Follini — voted for Prodi. Four of Italy's seven unelected senators for life also lent him their support.

Mr Prodi must face a similar vote in the lower House of Deputies, where his Union coalition has a comfortable majority.-—AFP