Changing Italy

One probable outcome of Silvio Berlusconi's defeat and the election of Romano Prodi's coalition is a reorientation of Italian foreign policy. As the BBC's Paul Reynolds points out, Prodi

is also likely to have rather cooler relations with Russia. Again, Mr Berlusconi liked to conduct personal diplomacy and he did so with President Putin.

"Berlusconi had a special relationship with Putin which Prodi is not prepared to endorse. This will be a significant change," said Paola Subacchi.