Berlusconi faces confidence vote

ROME, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, facing a confidence vote, told legislators Thursday there is "no credible alternative" to his government.

Berlusconi called for the vote, scheduled for Friday, after losing a budget vote in Parliament earlier this week, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. If a majority votes against him, his government would fall.

"The government is calling for the confidence vote because it is profoundly aware of the risks the country is facing and the time constraints dictated by the markets are not compatible with political procedures," Berlusconi said.

The prime minister suggested lawmakers have no choice but to support him because of the lack of a "credible alternative." He said the only thing uniting the opposition is "its anti-Berlusconi approach" with no agreement on economic issues.

Pier Luigi Bersani, head of the Democratic Party, said opposition leaders are ready to talk about forming a transitional national unity government.

"If this is not possible, we should go to vote because we have to do something like Greece, Ireland and Spain who have had a fresh start only through a change in leadership," Bersani said.

The budget vote was 290-290, a tie that meant the government lost.