Sepcial Report: Italy's general election

    ROME, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Italy's center-left coalition candidate Fausto Bertinotti on Sunday was elected Italy's new lower house speaker during the fourth round of voting with 337 votes.

Centre left coalition Speaker candidate Fausto Bertinotti prepares for his speech after being elected speaker of Italy's lower house of parliament at Montecitorio hall. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

    The 66-year-old Bertinotti who heads the Communist Refoundation Party (PRC), gained 337 votes against the absolute majority required of 304, according to Italian National television.

    During the first round of voting, Bertinotti just gained 305 votes against the absolute majority required of 420.

    The center-left coalition led by Romano Prodi has a 64-seat majority in the lower House.

    The voting to elect the lower house speaker began on Friday afternoon, the first day that the new Italian parliament opened.

    On Friday, Italian Senate also failed to chose its speaker during the second round because of the contested votes between the centre-right and centre-left coalition.

    The third round voting was expected to be held on Saturday afternoon.

    Romano Prodi, who won a slight victory over outgoing premier Silvio Berlusconi in Italy's April 9 and April 10 general election. His Union coalition has a majority of only two seats in the Senate, with 158 to the centre right's 156.

    The Senate and Lower House speakers are Italy's second and third-ranking official after the head of state. Enditem