Special report: Italy's general election

    PARIS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Italian centre-left leader Romano Prodi said Wednesday that he was "certain" of becoming Italy's next prime minister but he did not envisage a German-style "grand coalition".

    "Victory is now clear in both houses of parliament," Prodi said in French in an interview with French radio Europe 1, despite his victory being contested by outgoing Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

    He ruled out a German-style "grand coalition" and played down fears that the tight result could leave Italy divided and ungovernable.

    "This is not something specific to Italy. Germany is cut in two, France is cut in two," he said, citing the slender margin that put U.S. President George W. Bush ahead of his Democrat rival John Kerry in U.S. election.

    "So long as there is growth and clear ideas, we will reunite the country," he said.

    As to the formation of the new government, he said he could probably form a new government only in the second half of May once a new Italian president was elected.

    The Italian Senate, lower house and regional representatives will vote on May 12-13 to elect a successor to Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, president of Italy, whose mandate ends on May 18.

    "The constitutional decision is that probably it will be the new president who will decide to give me the responsibility to govern...So we would have to wait until the second half of May," he said.

    He also hoped for a "strong alliance with France" and that French President Jacques Chirac could give a "new impulse" to European construction. Enditem