Italy crisis: Silvio Berlusconi resigns as PM
Found on BBC News on Saturday, 12 November 2011
Mr Berlusconi is Italy's longest-serving post-war prime minister. His premiership has recently been marred by many scandals.
After losing his parliamentary majority on Tuesday, Berlusconi promised to resign when austerity measures, demanded by the EU and designed to restore markets' confidence in the country's economy, were passed by both houses of parliament.
But he is currently involved in several trials for fraud, corruption and having sex with an under-age girl, and has attracted media attention for so-called "bunga-bunga" parties which young women were allegedly paid to attend.
There's still this feeling that Silvio has something up his sleeves. It does not suit him to give in so easily, especially since he's facing a lot of lawsuits now that he lost his immunity.