Piero Fassino, leader of the Italian
Democrats of the Left, agreed that the object was not to needlessly stand in the way of hedge funds, which he predicted would continue to thrive.
The role of deputy prime minister will be shared by Massimo D'Alema, who comes from the biggest party in Prodi's bloc, the
Democrats of the Left (DS), and Margherita (Daisy) Party leader Francesco Rutelli.
Squabbling to get the post, which is the country's third-highest office, are Massimo D'Alema, the president of the
Democrats of the Left party, and communist leader Fausto Bertinotti.