Center-left leader Romano Prodi (L) is welcomed by Italian president Giorgio Napolitano (R) as he arrives at Quirinale Presidential Palace in Rome Tuesday, May 16, 2006. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

ROME, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Italian center-left leader Romano Prodi was appointed Italian premier on Tuesday by President Giorgio Napolitano, almost five weeks after narrowly beating outgoing Premier Silvio Berlusconi in Italian general election.

    New President Giorgio Napolitano gave center-left chief Prodi the constitutionally-required mandate to govern following a day ofconsultations with party leaders, the two parliamentary speakers and former heads of state.

    Prodi, a 66-year-old former European Commission chief, immediately promised the country a "solid" government.

    "I assured the president that we would work to create a balanced and solid government capable of tackling the political and economic problems facing Italy," he said.

    Prodi said his government would promote "greater social cohesion and guarantee the harmonious development of our society".

    He also told reporters that he was putting the finishing touches to his cabinet list, which he is expected to present on Wednesday morning.

    Italian critics have expressed concern that the alliance, whichranges from Communists and anti-clericalists to staunch Catholics,is too disparate to offer effective government, the local media reported.

    But Prodi, whose first, 1996-98 government was brought down by a rebellious ally, insists that the undersigning of his 280-page election program by all coalition parties will limit any infighting.

    According to media reports, one of the squabbles is over the defence ministry post, sought with equal determination by both centrist, Catholic UDEUR chief Clemente Mastella and top Radical Emma Bonino.

    Prodi has quelled the row by offering Mastella the weighty justice ministry post, the reports said.

    The reports also put Giuliano Amato, a 68-year-old former Socialist who served as premier from 1992-93 and again from 2000-2001, in pole position for the interior ministry.

    Former premier and Democratic Left (DS) chairman Massimo D' Alema, whose party is the largest in Prodi's coalition, is tipped to become foreign minister.

    Daisy chief Francesco Rutelli, whose centrist, Catholic party is the second biggest in the coalition, is set to become culture minister.

    Both D'Alema and Rutelli, who lost to Berlusconi in the 2001 election, are expected to be made deputy premiers.

    The important post of economy minister is almost certain to go to former European Central Bank board member Tommaso Padoa Schioppa.

    Meanwhile, Berlusconi renewed charges of election fraud on Tuesday, saying he was "convinced" the April 9/10 election outcomecould be overturned.

    Speaking at a farewell press conference, Berlusconi said his center-right coalition would use "all democratic methods possible"to verify the vote outcome, which was the narrowest in Italian postwar history. Enditem