The nine parties in Premier Romano Prodi's executive overcame their differences and agreed to 12-point guideline program which they hope will allow them to continue to govern.
The premier presented his resigned on Wednesday after a key government foreign police motion failed to muster an absolute majority in the Senate.
The vote failed because of defections on the far left and two unexpected abstentions, which count as no votes in the Senate, by two life senators who had previously backed the government.
The government parties will illustrate their 12-point program to President Giorgio Napolitano on Friday and are expected to inform him that this program will guarantee Prodi's government a majority ion the Senate.
If the president accepts their argument, he is likely to ask Prodi to return to Parliament and seek a confidence vote.
Napolitano also meets Friday with the opposition parties as he winds up his consultations on the government crisis.
The 12-point program made concessions to both the leftist and Catholic elements in the coalition and recognised Prodi's final word on government policy.
THE 12-POINT PROGRAM
The 12 points agreed to by the government parties are:
1. Italy will respect its international peace commitments. It will support foreign and defence policy initiatives by the United Nations and those regarding its membership in the European Union and NATO, including in Afghanistan. Clear support and recognition will be given to the resources represented by the Italian community abroad.
2. There will be a strong commitment in favor of culture, education, research and innovation.
3. There will be swift action to complete the infrastructure program, especially in regards to the European transport 'corridors', including the Turin-Lyon high-speed train link.
4. There will be a program for efficient and diversified energy sources, including renewable and local resources and the building of plants to process liquid natural gas.
5. The policy of liberalization and deregulation will continue in order to benefit the consumer and it will involve services and professions.
6. Permanent and concrete attention will be paid to Italy's southern regions, the so-called Mezzogiorno, beginning with problems of law and order.
7. There will be a concrete and immediate reduction in public spending and for spending involving government and political institutions.
8. Social security will be overhauled with attention paid to financial compatibility and in favor of those with lower pensions and young people. Some resources will derive from the unification of several social security agencies.
9. A boost well be given to policies in support of the family through welfare assistance and a significant increase in public nurseries.
10. There will be a swift solution to the problem of dual responsibilities, in government and parliament, based on existing agreements.
11. The premier's spokesman will assume the role of spokesman for the whole executive, in order to communicate as a single voice.
12. The premier will have the final and decisive word over contrasts within the government.
